Electrical CO mixing gas dynamic laser

An electric‐discharge CO‐mixing laser is described in which N2 is vibrationally excited in an electrical discharge and then mixed with cold CO in a supersonic expansion providing a population inversion between CO vibrational bands. Continuous output is achieved from an optical cavity established transverse to the flow. Maximum laser power obtained to date is 45 W, corresponding to an efficiency of 4% and a volumetric power density of 6 W/cm3.