Characteristics of a high-pressure CO2 laser with ultraviolet preionization by surface channel discharges

A surface channel discharge was used as the source of ultraviolet radiation for pulse-periodic photoionization of CO₂ laser mixtures. This source was sufficiently powerful to ensure a volume discharge at pressures of ≈5 atm necessary for continuous tuning of the emission frequency. Experiments on the use of this source in a laser showed that it could be used at pressures up to 3 atm and in this range the input energy density was 500 J/liter, the output energy density was ~30 J/liter, and the actual output energy in the form of laser radiation was 2.3 J.