Supersonic electrical-discharge copper vapor laser.

A copper vapor laser, utilizing a pulsed discharge transverse to a supersonic flow of copper vapor, argon, and helium and oscillating at 5106 and 5782 A, has been built and tested. Laser energy densities per pulse of 2.5 microjoules per cu cm have been achieved to date. Laser pulse widths of up to 185 nsec have been obtained with delay times after initiation of the current pulse of 220 to 250 nsec. Both the delay time and pulse width are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Quenching of the laser pulse is shown to be due to a rapid increase in the rate of equilibration of the lasing levels by electron collisions, and to a decrease in the differential pumping of the lasing levels from the ground state because of a decay in the electron temperature.