A simple high-power large-efficiency N2ultraviolet laser

The conditions for population inversion between the
C^{3}\Pi_{u}
and
B^{3}\Pi_{g}
levels (
\lambda = 3371
Å) of N
2
such as the excitation time and the optimum value of
E/p
are calculated. To meet the required conditions for a very fast population inversion, we describe a traveling wave laser structure which is very simple. We study the experimental curves of the laser power as a function of the following parameters: channel length, pressure, distance between electrodes, velocity matching between excitation traveling wave pulse and light, and spark gap breakdown voltage. Best results obtained to date are a peak power of 9 MW with a total efficiency of about 1 percent and a ratio
E/p\simeq 200
V/cm. torr.