Parametric studies on generation of short CO2 laser pulses for IR-laser chemistry

Results of parametric studies on short CO2 laser pulse generation by laser induced dielectric breakdown in a plasma shutter cell are described. From t he rise time of such short pulses obtained, threshold breakdown intensity ( I-th) has been estimated for different gases. The technique is further exte nded to obtain 40 ns pulses on two-frequency emission from a single TEA CO2 laser, Pressure dependent studies of I-th are utilised to model the proces s of such laser induced plasma. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.