Experiments with a pulsed CO2gas dynamic laser

We report operation of a pulsed combustion-heated gas dynamic CO
2
laser. The pulsed version is compared with the continuous gas dynamic laser. Variation of the pulse energy with the stagnation pressure of the gas, the shape of the expansion nozzle, and output mirror transmittance is discussed. Observed laser pulse energy of 110 J is compared with theoretical estimates of maximum obtainable energy.