Carbon dioxide laser with an active medium containing tripropylamine

An investigation was made of the influence of readily ionized tripropylamine (TPA) admixtures on the discharge and optical characteristics of a CO/sub 2/ laser. It was established that ionization of TPA via the metastable electronic states of nitrogen in the Penning process is the main mechanism responsible for the decrease in E/p in a self-sustained discharge. Tripropylamine admixtures result in efficient depopulation of the upper active level. The rate constant for deactivation of the 001 level of CO/sub 2/ by TPA molecules at low energy inputs was estimated from an analysis of the temporal behavior of the gain. As a result of the decrease in E/p in the discharge, induced by the TPA admixtures, the helium concentration in the mixture could be reduced to 30--40% as compared with 50--60% in discharges without organic admixtures with similar pump sources. A small-signal gain of 5%/cm was obtained in a CO/sub 2/:N/sub 2/:He=1:2:2 mixture at an energy input of 270 Jxliter/sup -1/xatm/sup -1/.