The kinetics of the decay of the 2D 3/2, 5/2 levels of a copper-vapor laser

The decay of these lower work levels in the postgeneration period is investigated. It is shown that the lifetime of these levels in an interval of 1-10 microseconds is 1-2 microseconds and that it is determined by the interaction of the charge with the electrons. For the axial regions of a gas-discharge channel, the interaction of Cu atoms with low-energy electrons and with the wall (in the case of atoms near the wall) are shown to be the principal mechanism for the deexcitation of the levels in this time interval.