Knowledge Bank

Stable passive Q-switching of a high power $CO2-N2$-He laser operating on a single rotational line, R(16), of the $00\circ 1\to 10\circ 0$ vibrational transition of $CO2$, has been achieved with $CH3Br$ as a saturable absorber. The average power is roughly equivalent to that obtained with $SF6$ as a saturable absorber. The pulse width was 2-2.5 $\mu$sec and the time between pulses approximately 20 microseconds.