Molecular gas lasers: Physics and application

Present-day research problems in the field of molecular gas lasers are addressed. The physical processes occurring in the plasma of continuous, diffusion-cooled gas discharges are discussed, emphasizing processes that disturb the uniform glow operation of such discharges and lead to their collapse. Various systems used to produce volume pulse discharges for pumping CO2 lsers which have found application in the development of eximer lasers are examined. The stability of volume-dominated self- and nonself-sustained discharges are considered, including modes of ionization instability causing glow-to-arc transition or striations. Electrode phenomena in nonself-sustained CO2 laser discharges are treated, including instabilities originating in the electrode and cathode regions. The kinetic processes occurring in pulsed CO2 lasers are set forth, discussing theoretical models, experimental studies of free-running pulsed CO2 lasers, and the analysis of systems with amplification of pulses of more than 10 to the -7th s duration. Finally, various processes occurring in high repetition rate TEA lasers are considered in detail. No individual items are abstracted in this volume