Serna Galán, JulioMartínez, C.Encinas Sanz, FernandoMartínez Herrero, María RosarioMejías Arias, Pedro Miguel2023-06-202023-06-201997-07-010030-401810.1016/S0030-4018(97)00127-2https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/58595© 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. The research work leading to this paper has been supported by the Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología of Spain under Project TAP93-211, within the framework of EU-1269 project.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 CO_2 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.engjournal articlehttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0030401897001272http://www.sciencedirect.com/open access535LightLawsÓptica (Física)2209.19 Óptica Física