Gas Discharge Lamps

Discharge lamps for pumping solid-state lasers are widely used and will be discussed in some detail. In order to be able to design the lamps for optimal performance in applications and in order to design the circuit for a specific lamp, one must know the lamp parameters and their functional relationships. The following sections defme the lamp-specific parameters in relation to the operating parameters and — as far as they are known — show the general relation existing between them. In many cases it is only possible to work with an empirical description of the functional relations. The necessary parameters, including the geometric variables, are listed separately for flash lamps and arc lamps in Table 6.4. The parameters should be stated for the worst case scenario in order to guarantee in all situations reliable operation of the electrical circuits that are dimensioned on the basis of these parameters.