Powerful Exciplex XeCl Laser with Modular Excitation System

Abstract

The article presents the results of studying the characteristics of the developed electric-discharge exciplex XeCl laser, which features a modular pumping system and the use of a bipolar charging voltage. The pumping system consists of three pairs of modules connected to a common load, i.e., the laser interelectrode discharge gap. It is shown that the modular transverse discharge excitation system allowed us to reduce the operating voltage to 36 kV with a discharge gap of 7 cm, shorten the discharge current pulse duration, and increase the pumping power of the active medium and the energy input into it. The article presents the results of studying the laser generation characteristics depending on the composition of the active medium and the conditions of its excitation. Using a working mixture of the composition HCl:Xe:Ne – 1:15:3000, under the pressure of 4 atm, at the charging voltage of 36 kV, the laser output energy of ~3 J was achieved. The laser generation pulse duration was ~120 ns at half-height.