Temporal gain and energy density profiles for a carbon dioxide laser beam amplifier

Abstract

The four-temperature kinetic model of Harrach and Einwohner is used to study the performance of a carbon dioxide electron-beam initiated laser amplifier. The model takes into account the effect of adding nitrogen and helium gases, radiation terms and the temperature dependence of vibrational energy transfer rates. Based on this model, a program was written in automatic continuous simulation language (ACSL), to solve the non-linear differential equations, and hence predict certain characteristics of the laser amplifier. The parameters that are varied for the purpose of this investigation are the overall pressure, electric field to neutral particle density (E/N) ratio, gas admixtures and the time duration of the high energy electron beam. The influence the above parameters have on the optical gain and energy density of the laser amplifier is of primary interest to this investigation. If is found that the overall pressure, E/N ratio, and the different gas admixtures have a profound effect on the energy density and gain profiles while the time duration of the electron beam does not.<>