INVESTIGATION OF AN ELECTRIC-DISCHARGE XECL LASER WITH A RADIATION ENERGY OF 5 J PER PULSE

An investigation was made of an electric-discharge XeCl laser with the active region of 4 x 5.5 x 100 cm dimensions. The laser was pumped by one of two pulse generators: a generator with a two-circuit configuration, a peaking capacitor, and a spark switch or a thyratron magnetic generator. A Ne(He, Ar)-Xe-HCl working mixture was preionised by x rays of 25-30 keV energy. A study was made of the conditions needed for the initiation of a homogeneous volume discharge. When the buffer gas in the mixture was neon, the radiation energy per pulse was 5 J, in a mixture with helium it was 2.5 J, and in a mixture with argon it was 1.2 J.