High-power discharge with a plasma cathode in dense gases

An attempt is made to create an electric-discharge source for pumping argon, krypton, and xenon dimer lasers. The device is based on a method proposed previously by the authors, wherein confinement of the discharge is achieved by removing the cathode spot from the main discharge region and closing the discharge to the spot along a narrow extended auxiliary plasma channel. The conditions for the formation of such a discharge are investigated. The high stability of the sparkless stage of the discharge permits the first-ever attainment of energy depositions at the level of 100 J/cm2 at pressures ∼10 atm, a level several orders of magnitude higher than is attainable by conventional methods. A discharge cell and power supply system are designed for a multisectional discharge with an active length of 200 mm, and the reliability of the entire apparatus is demonstrated in long-term use.