Efficiency of an H-2-SF6 laser with electron-beam initiation of chemical reactions

The spectral and amplitude-time characteristics of HF lasers pumped by a no nchain chemical reaction and initiated by radially convergent and planar el ectron beams were investigated. The principal channels leading to the forma tion of vibrationally excited HF molecules were analysed. It was confirmed that high efficiencies (similar to 10%) of a nonchain HF laser may be attai ned only as a result of the simultaneous formation of atomic and molecular fluorine when the active mixture is acted upon by an electron beam and of t he participation of molecular fluorine in population inversion. It was show n that a laser pulse has a complex spectral-temporal profile caused by the successive generation of P-lines and the overlap during the radiation pulse of both the rotational lines of the same vibrational band and of individua l vibrational bands.