Effect of inductive-plasma UV preionization on the parameters of XeCl laser radiation

Abstract

A XeCl laser with a double plasma electrode providing automated inductive-plasma UV preionization has been experimentally studied. Ways to increase the laser efficiency by selecting a proper regime of excitation of the active medium based on various buffer gases (helium, argon, and neon) are considered, depending on the parameters of a two-stage pumping source. It is shown that the scheme of pumping with an inductive-plasma UV preionization source is effective only with a XeCl laser using neon as a buffer gas excited in a fast regime, which can provide a significant increase in the energy parameters of output radiation and, accordingly, in the laser output efficiency.