AN ULTRAVIOLET PREIONIZED NITROGEN LASER SWITCHED BY PARALLEL SPARK GAPS

We present a simple method of switching a nitrogen laser with three pa rallel, self-breakdown spark gaps by incorporating them into a two-sta ge Blumlein circuit. These spark gaps are preionized by ultraviolet ra diation from an auxiliary spark which suppresses their breakdown jitte rs and improves their temporal sychronization. The breakdown time dela y of these parallel spark gaps enables strong ultraviolet preionizatio n of the laser channel. As a result of these improvements, the laser o utput is doubled and is more reproducible than that obtained using the one-stage Blumlein circuit.