Gain dynamics of the 4.3-microm CO(2)laser

Detailed measurements of small-signal gain coefficients in an optically pumped 4.3-microm CO(2) laser are presented. The transient 4.3-microm gain is characterized by peak values of ~14%/cm and a lifetime of a few hundred nanoseconds. The processes that control the gain dynamics and the related design considerations for efficient operation of the 4.3-microm CO(2) laser are discussed.