Abstract

In materials processing such as cutting, welding, and surface treatment, higher processing efficiencies have been demonstrated with the CO laser when compared with the CO₂ laser.^1,2 It can be attributed to the shorter output wavelength of the CO laser which leads to higher Fresnel absorption and/or lower plasma absorption loss of the laser energy. But the need for cryogenic cooling of the laser gas has long been a discouraging issue in the practical use of CO laser. However, lately some high-power (> 100 W), room temperature operations of CO laser have been reported.^3,4 We have demonstrated successful room temperature CO-laser operation with a fast-axial-flow, rf-discharge excitation scheme.⁵

© 1995 IEEE