Low Current Discharge Copper Vapor Laser

Abstract

The possibility of lasing on self-terminating transitions in a low-current discharge mode is shown in model and real experiments on an example of a copper vapor laser. Lasing is excited in a discharge gap self-breakdown mode for a wide range of pumping pulse repetition frequencies (from several Hz to 10 kHz). The low-current discharge mode is characterized by pulse current of several amperes, voltage falling edge after the breakdown of 10–15 V/ns, and current rising rate less than 0.01 A/ns, which distinguishes this type of pumping from conventional one used for lasers on self-terminating transitions.