Discharge energy loading characteristics of a UV-preionized TEA CO2 laser

The effects of ultraviolet (UV) preionization energy and initial electron number density on discharge loading are experimentally clarified in a UV preionized TEA CO₂ laser. Dependence of the laser output energy on the spatial uniformity of the preionization has also been examined. In order to produce the laser output energy efficiently, the input energy for the UV preionizer is required to be in excess of 2% of the input energy for the main discharge. With the sufficient initial electron number density, the laser energy was little dependent on the spatial nonuniformity of preionization in the discharge volume at low-energy loadings (≲ 100 J/l). At higher energy loadings, the laser output energy was found to depend not only on the initial electron number density but also on the spatial uniformity of the preionization.