详细研究了一台增益体积为1.17 L, 采用pulser/sustainer技术激励的高重复频率长脉冲紫外预电离TE CO2激光器的运转特性。激光器最高脉冲重复频率100 Hz, 输出激光脉冲半峰全宽(FWHM)约23.0 μs。实验记录了稳定辉光放电与有起弧的辉光放电时激光器的放电电压/电流波形; 测量得到当sustainer充电电压从12 kV到30 kV时, 激光器输出脉冲能量从约0.40 J变化上升至约4.0 J, 观察到在同一sustainer充电电压下, 激光器输出平均功率随脉冲重复频率线性变化; 监测到激光器以sustainer充电电压22 kV, 重复频率100 Hz连续工作10 min时, 输出平均功率仅从最大257 W下降至247 W。实验数据表明, 与采用低感快脉冲放电激励相比, 这种新型的长脉冲TE CO2激光器具有增益开关效应小、输出动态范围大、“起弧适应性”好、输出平均功率下降慢等特点。

Performance of a high repetition-rate long-pulse UV-preionized TE CO2 laser with an active volume of 1.17 L utilizing pulser/sustainer discharge technique is investigated in detail. The laser operates with a high repetition-rate of 100 Hz and output laser pulse full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 23.0 μs. The voltage/current waveforms under stable glow discharge and arc discharge are given respectively. The laser output pulse energy varies from about 0.40 J to 4.0 J as the charging voltage on the sustainer circuits rises from 12 kV to 30 kV. Under the same sustainer charging voltage, the laser output power increases linearly with the pulse repetition rate. With sustainer charging voltage of 22 kV and repetition rate of 100 Hz, the laser output power only decreases from the highest 257 W at the beginning to 247 W at the end of 10-min continuous operation. All the experimental data show that, compared with the conventional TE CO2 laser with low inductance quick discharge, it generates a long laser pulse profile containing greatly suppressed initial gain-switch spike, tolerates arcing discharge in repetition rate operation, and decreases more slowly under high repetition-rate long-time operation.