Over time, the use of glass as a gas container and DC discharge between electrodes produces a contamination of the laser mixture by byproducts of the electrode’s erosion and depletion of the gas mixture.
Contamination of the gas mixture and depletion of helium escaping through the glass walls and seals decreases the efficiency of the laser and severely reduces the lifetime of the laser.
Additionally, a DC laser needs special water cooling equipment to achieve continuous operation. Because they use high DC voltage, meaning they can be extremely dangerous – even lethal, especially in combination with the cooling water – if water comes in contact with high-voltage electronics.
-Manny Oropeza, Universal Laser Systems
