Research in Molecular Laser Plasmas

Investigations of Physicochemical Properties of CO2 Laser Plasma V. N. Ochkin.- I Dissociation of CO2 Molecules in a CO2 Laser Gas-Discharge Plasma.- 1. Brief Review of Investigations of Dissociation of CO2 in Electrical Discharges..- 2. Method for Determining Gas Composition.- 3. Dissociation of CO2 in a Continuous-Flow Laser System.- 4. Measurements of Gas Composition in a Sealed CO2 Laser.- II Relaxation Processes and Population Inversion in a Multicomponent Plasma in a CO2 Discharge Laser.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Derivation of Rate Equations.- 3. Parameters of a Discharge Plasma and Efficiencies of Elementary Processes.- 4. Solution of Relaxation Equations. Results of Calculations.- III Experimental Determination of Laser Level Populations. Vibrational Temperatures.- 1. Method for Measuring Vibrational Temperatures and Populations of Vibrational Levels on the Basis of Visible and Ultraviolet Spontaneous Radiation.- 2. Experimental Method.- 3. Results and Discussion.- Conclusions.- Appendix I. Measurement of Gas Flow Rate.- Appendix II. Spectral Sensitivity of the Photomultiplier.- Literature Cited.- Experimental Investigation of Electrical and Optical Properties of the Positive Column of Flow Discharges in Molecular Gases M. Z. Novgorodo.- I Review of Literature on Electrical and Optical Properties of Plasmas in Molecular Discoharges and Basic Information on CO2 Lasers.- 1. Basic Information on CO2 Lasers.- 2. Elements of the Kinetic Theory of Plasmas.- 3. Review of Experimental Measurements of Electrical Properties of Molecular Plasmas.- II Experimental Methods and Conditions.- 1. Probe Method..- 2. High-Frequency Resonator Method.- 3. Construction of Discharge Tube, Probes, and Power Supply System.- III Results of Investigations of Gas-Discharge Plasmas in Molecular Gases.- 1. Investigations of Positive Discharge Columns in Nitrogen.- 2. Discharges in CO2 and in Mixtures of Other Gases with CO2.- 3. Influence of Xe on Properties of CO2 Laser Plasmas.- 4. Electrical Properties of Discharge Plasmas and Population Inversion in CO2 Lasers.- 5. Probe and High-Frequency Measurements in Non-Maxwellian Plasmas.- 6. Discharge Power Carried by Charges to Tube Walls.- Conclusions.- Literature Cited.