Relaxation of CO2laser levels by collisions with foreign gases

Relaxation time of the 00
⁰
1 upper and 10
⁰
0 lower CO
2
laser levels as a function of H
2
O, CO, and Xe gas pressure has been measured using the afterglow pulse-gain technique. Lifetime data for these gas mixtures and also for mixtures of CO
2
, CO
2
-H
2
, CO
2
-He, and CO
2
-N
2
, obtained previously, are analyzed and compared with available ultrasonic and fluorescence data. Results indicate that the 10
⁰
0 and 01
¹
0 levels of CO
2
are strongly coupled and depletion of the lower laser level population is essentially limited by the relaxation rate of the 01
¹
0 level. Other processes involving energy exchange between CO
2
and foreign gases are detailed.