IMPROVEMENT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF AN AR-XE LASER USING MAGNETIC SPIKER SUSTAINER DISCHARGE EXCITATION

In an X-ray preionized Ar-Xe laser using a magnetic-spiker sustainer d ischarge circuit with a magnetic pulse compressor a parametric investi gation of the laser output versus gas composition and electrical excit ation was performed, A considerable improvement in the performance of the discharge excited Ar-Xe laser was demonstrated. An output energy o f 436 mJ was obtained from an active volume of 0.26 l at a total gas p ressure of 1.8 bar containing 1% Xe in Ar with an overall efficiency o f 2.1%.