Temperatures of Ion Laser PlasmasPlasma temperatures of tbe wall-stabilized low pressure Ar-arc, which has been optimized for maximum inversion density of the Ar II 4p-4 s laser transitions (i.e. k T e ~ 4 eV), have been determined experimentally and compared with literature data. Ion temperature is obtained from the Doppler linewidths of Ar II transitions, which have been measured both spectroscopically and indirectly by measuring the gain of the 4880/~ laser line. Neutral temperature is obtained from the Doppler linewidths of Ar-I-transitions and by relating fill pressure and calculated values of the corresponding gas density.Ion-and neutral temperature are reported to reach values of Ti~ 30000 K and Ta--~25000 K, respectively. In the range under present concern (kTe_~4eV, 15
Highly ionized plasmas (degree of ionization 0.1,...,0.5) with electron temperatures kTe≳4 eV are required for high-power generation from ion lasers. In stationary low-pressure arcs, however, these requirements are limited by discharge instabilities. The stability limits are investigated in the case of Ar and Hg low-pressure discharges. It is shown that the main limitation processes are due to neutral gas depletion by ionization and axial plasma inhomogeneities. The stability ranges of ion-laser discharges are represented using the geometry-independent parameters jR and pR ( j: discharge current density; p: filling pressure; R: discharge radius). These instabilities, together with saturation effects in the laser mechanism, limit the output power of ion lasers by restricting the operational range of the discharges.
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