Interference investigations of the vibrational excitation of molecular nitrogen in a non-self-sustained discharge

An experimental study was made of changes in the polarizability of nitrogen when it was vibrationally excited in a non-self-sustained electric discharge. Using this effect, interference measurements were made of the pumping inhomogeneity in an electron-beam-controlled CO₂ laser. The spatial distribution of the energy deposition in a transverse section of the discharge gap was determined.