Enhanced performance of elemental copper-vapor lasers by use of H(2)-HCl-Ne buffer-gas mixtures.

The output power from a 25-mm-diameter (volume, 0.49 L) and a 40-mm-diameter (volume, 1.9 L) copper-vapor laser (nominally 20- and 65-W devices, respectively) was approximately doubled to >50 and >100 W , respectively, by addition of small partial pressures of both H(2) and HCl to the neon buffer gas. The specific output powers of these lasers are believed to be records for any copper-vapor lasers of this size.