On the parametric characterization of the transversal spatial structure of laser pulses

From the application of a simple analytical model to describe a laser pulse, the transversal spatial structure of the pulse amplitude is linked to its (measurable) second-order intensity moments, integrated along the pulse duration. These formulae are applied to some examples. The experimental values correspond to TEA CO2 laser pulses, for which the dependence of the beam quality on the presence of nitrogen in the gas mixture and also on the size of an intracavity diaphragm has also been investigated.