Development of a discharge in pulsed metal-vapour lasers

An analysis is made of the electric characteristics of the exciting dischar ge in pulsed metal vapour lasers. The initial stages of the current and vol tage pulses are given most attention. Our estimates are based on a series o f recent experimental results and of calculations, obtained for typical ope rating conditions of present-day metal vapour lasers. The initial developme nt of the discharge is shown to depend only slightly on the conductivity of the hot part of the discharge tube, where a metal vapour coexists with a b uffer gas. The effects of the electrode properties and of the processes in cold near-electrode regions on laser operation are discussed.