A longitudinal electron beam was used to provide the preionization for a TEA‐type CO2laser. Single‐line energy in excess of 10 J/liter at 10.6 &mgr;m can be obtained from this laser in approximately 2 &mgr;sec. This device may be simply converted to one previously reported which uses the electron beam to provide the total ionization required for laser excitation and emits 20–120‐&mgr;sec pulses of comparable energy.