Ar-Xe Laser Research Articles

High-power laser of 270-liter active volume utilizing infrared transitions in xenon

A high-power Ar–Xe laser (λ = 1.73μ) was pumped by an electron beam alone (j ~ 1A/cm2) and by a combination of an electron beam and an electric field acting on a large volume (30×30×300 cm). An output energy Eout ≈ 9.5J was obtained for the beam pumping (pulse duration τ0.5 ≈ 2.1/μsec) and Eout = 11.5J for the combined pumping. The efficiency, measured relative to the energy deposited by an electron beam, was 0.4%. It was found that additional pumping by an electric field became significant at the onset of nonthermal ionization of the medium and electron multiplication.

Powerful electroionization laser on Xe infrared atomic transitions

A powerful pulsed high-pressure Ar-Xe laser with an active volume of 91 is studied. Laser output energies of 5.8 J for electron-beam pumping and 19 J for electroionization pumping are attained. The laser power exceeds 13 MW. More than 95 percent of the output laser energy is concentrated in the line with \lambda = 1.73 \mu m. Efficiencies greater than 5 percent were observed.

Pulsed lasing mechanism in a high-pressure electrical-discharge Ar-Xe laser

A study of the characteristics of spontaneous and stimulated emission from a pulsed electrical discharge in an Ar–Xe mixture was used to analyze the processes populating the active atomic levels of xenon, and an estimate was made of the efficiency for the transfer of excitation from argon to xenon atoms. A conclusion was reached concerning the excitation of the active levels from the ground state by direct electron impact. An improvement in the laser energy characteristics and a change in the spectral composition of the emitted radiation on increasing the xenon pressure and adding argon were associated with a considerable change in the electron energy distribution function. The transfer of excitation from argon to xenon atoms in the electrical discharge could be neglected. The latter fact is important in the design of electron-beam-controlled and electric-discharge vacuum-ultraviolet lasers utilizing Xe2 dimers.