Small signal gain in a pulsed CO laser amplifier operating on oxygen containing gas mixtures

Small signal gain temporal behavior in pulsed CO laser amplifier operating with oxygen rich gas mixtures CO:He:O2 and CO:N2:O2 was experimentally studied. The rich content of oxygen in helium mixture (CO:He:O2=1:4:2) resulted in ~8-fold increase of the maximum gain on low vibrational transitions (10-9) and strong absorption on high ones (21-20). A high efficient pulsed CO laser operating with gas mixture in which oxygen substituted for nitrogen was launched.