Dependence of transient gain on gas-flow velocity and discharge current in the FAF CO/sub 2/ laser amplifier

Transient behaviors in which the output power amplified through the fast-axial-flow (FAF) CO/sub 2/ laser amplifier decreases temporally after initiating the discharge are discussed. The output power becomes stable within a few minutes, i.e. the transient time. These phenomena should strongly depend on input irradiance, plasma length, gas-flow velocity v, and discharge current I/sub dis/. The small signal gain gamma /sub 0/ is formulated as a function of v and I/sub dis/ and the discharge time for a partially-homogeneously-broadened, slightly saturated gain medium at individual vibrational-rotational transitions. >

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