Longitudinal discharge pumped low-pressure XeCl laser

Abstract

We have studied output parameters of a XeCl and a laser pumped by a longitudinal discharge with automatic spark UV preionisation. The output parameters of a low-pressure () XeCl laser operating with Ar, Ne and He as buffer gases or with no buffer gas have been optimised for the first time. The laser generated FWHM pulses with an average power of and output energy of . Under longitudinal discharge pumping, an output energy per unit volume of was reached using helium as a buffer gas. With argon-containing and buffer-free mixtures, it was . The laser generated FWHM pulses with an average power of and output energy of .