Self-consistent modeling for estimation of the reduced electric field in a DC excited diffusion controlled CW CO2 laser

•Accurate estimation of electric field in positive column of CO2 laser discharges.•Very good matching between experimentally measured electric field and estimated values.•E/N value for new gas mixtures can be easily evaluated.

The results of a numerical simulation method that estimate various discharge parameters in the positive column of a DC glow discharge controlled by ambipolar diffusion are presented. The parameters like reduced electric field (E/N), electron temperature, ionization rates, ambipolar diffusion losses and the average gas temperature were numerically evaluated for several mixtures of CO2, N2 and He in low pressure regime. The estimated E/N value which is a primary governing parameter of positive column was verified experimentally using a double probe in diffusion controlled CW CO2 laser for a variety of CO2, N2 and He mixtures. The role of auxiliary ionization source like pulser used for pre-ionization and its effect on the steady state E/N value was also studied. A reasonably good agreement was found between the theoretical and the experimental results. Based on the results of this simulation a zigzag folded, diffusion-cooled, 500 W CW CO2 laser has been designed and developed for research in gas phase nanoparticle synthesis.