Theoretical and experimental studies of a multiline TEA CO2laser with hot CO2as an intracavity absorber

The multiline behavior of a ballast resistance helical TEA CO
2
laser incorporating hot CO
2
as an intracavity absorber has been studied. Simultaneous laser oscillation on
P(16), P(18)
, and
P(20)
lines of 10.6 μm has been obtained reliably. A rate equation model has been developed for the hot CO
2
absorber and is incorporated with the model for the multiline TEA CO
2
laser for calculating laser intensities on
P(16), P(18), P(20)
, and
P(22)
lines of the 10.6 μm band in the presence of the absorber. The theoretical calculations agree quite well with the experimental observations. These studies show that a hot CO
2
column of Proper length and temperature inside a TEA CO
2
laser cavity can produce simultaneous laser oscillation on at least three rotational lines
P(16), P(18)
, and
P(20)
of the 10.6 μm band with almost equal intensity.