CARBON MONOXIDE FORMATION IN CO2 LASERS

The rate of CO2 dissociation in a flowing CO2 laser discharge has been measured. This rate is consistent with published cross sections for direct electron impact dissociation when averaged over the appropriate electron energy distribution. The dissociation process in the flowing gas discharge is found to result in an axial variation of plasma properties and of the laser medium. Implications of the CO variation for many conventionally operated CO2 lasers are discussed.