Abstract

Recent advances in the understanding and control of transverse radiofrequency gas discharges in carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide laser gas mixtures have facilitated the development of new classes of laser devices, which have interesting and useful beam properties. In particular, the ability to control diffusion-cooled, transverse RF discharges with large electrode areas leads to the concept of two-dimensional (area) scaling of laser power, and the development of compact and efficient, high power laser sources (e.g. at the kilowatt average power level) which can be operated in a sealed configuration and without the need for convective gas cooling.

© 1991 Optical Society of America