Self-consistent modelling of X-ray preionized XeCl-laser discharges

Abstract

In this theoretical work a 0-D model for a self-sustained X-ray preionized XeCl-laser discharge is presented. The model is self-consistent in the sense that it simultaneously solves, contrarily to the usual decoupling procedure, the Boltzmann equation for electrons, the kinetic equations for excited and ionic species, the equations for the electrical circuit and the laser photon density. It includes a rather complete kinetics of HCl(v) vibrational excitation, dissociation and dissociative attachment. The influence of electron collisions with excited species and of e-e Coulomb collisions on the plasma parameters and transport coefficients is discussed. Some evidence of the non-stationary equilibrium between the electron distribution and the reduced electric field E/N is given. Results of the model are compared with experimental ones corresponding to a XeCl-laser discharge driven by a L-C inversion circuit. The model predicts well the main trends for the variation of the laser energy in a large range of experimental conditions. The discrepancy between experiment and model for absolute values of the laser energy is discussed.