Tunable TEA CO2 laser for long-range DIAL lidar

Abstract The high-power pulse-periodic TEA CO2 laser intended for use in the structure of mobile ground-based long-range IR DIAL lidar is developed. For achievement of the highest peak power of radiation, the system of laser excitation with a voltage of ±40 kV and effective preionization allowing one to work at high pressure of various gaseous mixtures is created. A study of energetic, temporal and spatial parameters of laser radiation for used gaseous mixtures are executed at a pressure of 0.5–2.4 atm. The pulses of laser emission with an energy more than 10 J and duration on FWHM of ∼30 ns are obtained for the case of heliumless mixtures. The maximal obtained peak power of the laser radiation is 100 MW. The maximal efficiency of the laser including the energy deposited in the glow discharge is 12.6%. At the use of the selective cavity, the laser operation at 85 emission lines of the CO2 molecule is obtained and at 60 lines, the energy of radiation exceeded 4 J.