Laser and discharge parameters in mixtures of rare gases with halogens driven by a pre-pulse-sustainer circuit technique are studied experimentally and theoretically. Inductive energy storage with semiconductor opening switch was used for the high-voltage pre-pulse formation. It was shown that the pre-pulse with a high amplitude and short rise-time along with sharp increase of discharge current and uniform preionization allow to form long-lived stable volume discharge in halogen containing gas mixtures. UV laser pulses with total duration up to 450 ns were easily obtained. Another way for development of a long-lived diffuse plasma was suggested. Diffuse discharge was formed in a sharply inhomogeneous electric field by run-away electrons when using high voltage pulses of ns duration Efficient VUV lasing was obtained at wavelengths from 148 to 193 nm on the transitions of hydrogen, fluorine and exciplex ArF* molecules in mixtures of rare gases with additions of hydrogen and fluorine at pressures up to 10 atm.
The results of studies on the formation of a volume discharge in an electric-discharge XeCl laser with a maximum specific pumping power of 4.7 MW/cm3 are presented. It is shown that with a half-cycle duration of discharge current of 20 ns, the radiation pulse duration on the base is 100 ns. A good agreement between the experimental and numerical results obtained with the XeCl laser was demonstrated. Plasma-chemical processes occurring in a volume discharge at a maximum electron concentration in the plasma of ~ 7×1015 cm-3 are considered.
Results of 2D simulation of a KrF laser are presented. In the model, inhomogeneities of distributions of the electric field and plasma particle concentration are considered. It is demonstrated, that the laser energy depends not only on the value of the total pump power, but also from its spatial distribution. The shape of the electrodes is a major determinant of the spatial distribution of pumping power in the active medium. For electrodes with small radii of curvature, the pumping power in the center of the discharge may be too high. This leads to the suppression of radiation in the center of the discharge and the limitation of the laser energy.
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