Excimer lasers and laser systems

The results of the experimental study of UV lasers and laser systems pumped by different methods are presented. Two lasers were pumped by electron bea ms from Marx generators. Three lasers were pumped by transverse discharge w ith UV preionization. An XeCl laser pumped by electric discharge using a ge nerator with inductive energy storage and semiconducting opening switch is investigated. The highest laser radiation energies of 2000, 90, and 0.7 J h ave been obtained at lambda = 308, 249, and 222 nm, respectively. The ampli fication of the laser beam from the master oscillator under conditions of s trong amplified spontaneous emission is considered. In particular, formatio n of the output from an amplifier in the wings of the XeCl laser band and i n the case of a large-aperture XeCl amplifier are investigated. The output beam divergence in these experiments was measured to be similar to 10(-4) r ad.