Sealed, miniaturized, corona-preionized, high-repetition-rate TEA CO<inf>2</inf>laser using hydrogen buffered gas mixtures

Sealed-off operation of a compact, corona-preionized, TEA CO2laser capable of efficient laser action at pulse repetition frequencies of up to 1 kHz is reported. By adding hydrogen to the basic gas mixture we have been able to maintain discharge stability and constant average output power for more than 20 million laser shots at a 400 Hz repetition frequency with peak powers in excess of 350 kW.