High-power electroionization CO2 and CO lasers for industrial applications

The development program whose results are presented had as its goal an industrial laser system that could run on mulltiple wavelengths, operate in CW and in long or short repetitive pulse modes, and furnish process economies comparing favorably with existing systems. The laser apparatus developed employs a coupled turbocompressor and refrigerator to supply gas flow and temperature control, and features the supply of a portion of the power required for turbocompressor operation by the gas which expands and cools in the refrigeration turbine. The system can operate on either CO or CO2, thereby serving as a source of mid- or far-IR radiation in either CW or pulse-repetition mode. Attention is given to the economic advantages of a five-gas mixture and a silica gel gas purifier.