EFFECTS OF SECONDARY ELECTRONS DUE TO IONIZATION ON MODEL PREDICTIONSOF DISCHARGE-PUMPED XECL LASER

A self-consistent code has been utilized in modeling a discharge-pumpe d XeCl laser. The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) has bee n calculated using a time-dependent Boltzmann equation. The effects of the secondary electrons produced by ionization on EEDF, rate coeffici ents, species densities, laser energy, and breakdown delay time have b een examined by comparing different models in a wide range of discharg e parameters. Efforts have been made at explaining the discrepancy in the breakdown delay time between simulation and experiment. It is foun d that the secondary electrons due to ionization play an important rol e in determining the breakdown delay time. Furthermore, the measured b reakdown delay time can be well reproduced using the model presented i n this work instead of increasing the total excitation cross sections of xenon. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.