<title>Self-initiated volume discharge for production of atomic iodine in pulsed oxygen-iodine lasers</title>

Abstract

This paper reports on investigating self-sustained volume discharge (SSVD) characteristics in CH₃I, C₃H₇I, C₄H₉I, CF₃I and their mixtures with SF₆ and N₂, employed as buffer gases, and with O₂. The investigations performed in the plane-plane electrode system displaying high electric field edge enhancement have shown that in C₃H₇I, C₄H₉I and their mixtures with SF₆, N₂ and O₂ SSVD is realized in the form of a self-initiated volume discharge (SIVD)- SSVD with no any preionization. Addition of SF₆ or N₂ in C₃H₇I, C₄H₉I leads to increasing the discharge stability, the latter being not adversely affected by addition of O₂ in amounts of up to 300% of the iodide partial pressure. The fact that SSVD in C₃H₇I and C₄H₉I develops in the form of SIVD is indicative of these discharges to be promising for creation of high power pulsed and pulsed-periodic COIL. SIVD has been performed at total mixture pressures of up to 72 Torr and energy depositions of up to 130J/l in a volume of 1.5 l. The performed experimental modeling involving laser geometry of the discharge gap gives firm evidence that SIVD is promise for being used in creation of pulse and pulse-periodic COIL.