Investigations of physicochemical properties of CO2 laser plasma
Abstract
Dissociation of CO2 in a gas-discharge plasma produced by a CO2 laser is studied using IR absorption techniques. It is found that the degree of CO2 dissociation in continuous-flow CO2 lasers is considerable even in cases of relatively fast pumping and can attain 60% or more. The density of vibrational inversion is calculated with allowance for dissociation. It is shown that this density is substantially inhomogeneous along the length of the discharge tube in continuous-flow systems due to the plasma's inhomogeneous chemical composition. Both the electrode materials and their processing conditions are found to be important in sealed-off systems, and processes are discussed which determine the lifetime of a sealed-off CO2 laser. The vibrational temperature in N2, N2-CO2, and N2-CO2-He are measured in the principal electron states in terms of relative intensities in the second positive system of nitrogen.
- Publication:
-
Issledovanie plazmy molekuliarnykh lazerov
- Pub Date:
- 1976
- Bibcode:
- 1976ipml.rept....3O
- Keywords:
-
- Carbon Dioxide Lasers;
- Chemical Properties;
- Gas Discharges;
- Laser Plasmas;
- Absorption Spectra;
- Electron States;
- Gas Discharge Tubes;
- Gas Dissociation;
- Infrared Spectra;
- Molecular Relaxation;
- Optical Pumping;
- Population Inversion;
- Reaction Kinetics;
- Ultraviolet Spectra;
- Lasers and Masers