Prototype of a high-power, high-energy industrial XeCl laser

We discuss the results of fabrication and experimental study of a high-power excimer XeCl laser for industrial applications. Compactness of the laser is achieved by the employment of a laser chamber based on a ceramic tube made of Al2O3. High laser output energy (1.5-2.5 J pulse(-1)) is obtained using a wide-aperture (up to 55 ' 30 mm) volume discharge with pre-ionisation by a creeping discharge. The pre-ionisation is realised through a semitransparent electrode by the UV radiation of a creeping discharge in the form of uniform plasma sheet on a surface of a plane sapphire plate. The operating lifetime of the gas mixture amounts to similar to 57 x 10(6) pulses at a stabilised average laser power of 450 W. The results obtained demonstrate real prospects for developing a new class of excimer XeCl lasers with an average power of similar to 1 kW.