THE INFLUENCE OF CHARGE-MODE OPERATION OF A XECL LASER ON THE BEAM PROFILE

The shape of the beam profile of a discharge excited XeCl excimer lase r using a spiker-sustainer electrical circuit has been varied From a ' bell'-, through a 'top-hat'-, to a 'camel-back'-profile by varying the delay between the spiker pulse and the main-current with the circuit operating in the charge-mode. Fine-tuning of the beam profile can be d one by varying the charging voltage of the main pulse forming network or the temperature of a gas purifier regulating the Xe and HCl partial pressures.