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Gas ion lasers1operate at discharge currents of several amperes in small-bore tubing. Under these conditions the cischarge acts to pump gas from the cathode to the anode2and pressure differences in excess of 10:1 can be established in less than one minute of dhscharge operation. Since the optimum pressure range for laser operation in narrowly defined relative to the range of pressures existing in the discharge tube (see Fig. 1). laser action usually deteriorates or goes out shorty after turn-on.
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Gordon et al. (1964) studied this question.
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