MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE OF DISCHARGE-PUMPED EXCIPLEX LASER AT LAMBDA=222 NM

The results of an experimental investigation into lasing and spontaneo us emission from Ne(He, Ar)-Kr-HCl are presented, Evidence has been ga thered of the effect of the pumping power, preionization rate, pumping pulse duration, and composition and pressure of the gas mixture on th e lasing characteristics under discharge pumping, KrCl formation effi ciency is shown to be nearly half as much as for XeCl. The output ene rgy was 0.65 J for similar to 60 ns laser pulse duration (FWHM), 2.5% efficiency based on the pumping power, and 0.65% efficiency based on t he stored energy while for the 10 ns pulse duration, 2.7% efficiency b ased on the pumping power and 0.8% efficiency based on the stored ener gy the output energy was 0.15 J. Recommendations are made for developm ent of KrCl lasers with maximum output parameters.