DIAGNOSTICS OF MICROSECOND PULSE FORMATION IN A SEALED CO2 LASER TUBE VIA TIME-RESOLVED FTIR AND ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENTS
N.A. Tashkeev1,2,3, A.R. Melnikov4, V.V. Kubarev1,5, S.L. Veber4
1Synchrotron Radiation Facility - Siberian Circular Photon Source “SKIF”, Novosibirsk, Russia
2International Tomography Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
3Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
4Synchrotron Radiation Facility - Siberian Circular Photon Source “SKIF”, Novosibirsk, Russia 2International Tomography Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
5Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
Keywords: CO laser, pulsed operation, mid-IR radiation, time-resolved FTIR spectroscopy, pulse energy measurements
Abstract
The widespread use of carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers in material processing, polymer welding, and lithography has led to a significant reduction in their cost, enabling their applications in new areas. In this work, we characterized the pulsed operation mode of a commercial Reci W2 sealed CO2 laser tube that generates mid-infrared (mid-IR) radiation with an average power above 100 W. By combining pulse energy measurements with time-resolved FTIR spectroscopy, we examined the temporal profiles of the emitted radiation in the 10-1000 µs range and analyzed the spectral dynamics. Complementary measurements of current and voltage provided additional information on the discharge behavior and its temporal relationship with the optical output, offering a more complete picture of pulse formation. Two distinct modes of pulsed operation was demonstrated: 1) a transient high-peak-power regime achieved with relatively short 50-150 μs laser pulses, 2) a stable-generation regime observed for 150-1000 μs and longer laser pulses. The results show that inexpensive sealed CO2 laser tubes can operate as convenient mid-IR pulsed sources with characteristics suitable for a range of spectroscopic measurements, materials research, and instrumentation development.
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