It is shown experimentally that the current changes in a c.w. gas laser due to changes of intensity of a laser radiation in the resonant cavity may be used as a technique for detecting laser action. The main condition for observing these changes is the use of a highly stabilized high-voltage power supply. It is found experimentally that the shape and the amplitude of the current changes depend on the current, intensity of the laser signal and the gain of the tube (gas mixture, pressure, diameter). For the best shape of signal the current must be optimized at the expense of some fall of amplitude. The dependence of the amplitude on the intensity of laser radiation may be used for alignment of a resonator. It is suggested that current changes may be used in the investigation of far infrared gas lasers where proper detectors are not always available.
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V.J. Stefanov (1970) studied this question.