Electron-beam-controlled method for the excitation of stimulated emission of vacuum ultraviolet radiation from xenon

An analysis is made of the stimulated emission due to electron transitions in the Xe$_2$ molecule as a result of excitation by the electron-beam-controlled method. A numerical solution is obtained of the transport equation for the electron energy distribution function in high-pressure xenon subjected to a static electric field. The excitation rates of electron levels of Xe are calculated. The computed efficiency of the conversion of the pump energy into radiation may reach 65 $\dots$ 75%. Theoretical estimates are obtained of a population inversion and gain in the vacuum ultraviolet as a result of electron-beam-controlled excitation. In an experimental study, stimulated emission at $\lambda$ = 172.5 nm was obtained as a result of pumping with a fast-electron beam. An investigation was made of the spectral and energy characteristics of the spontaneous and stimulated radiation. The efficiency of electron-beam pumping of Xe compressed to 16 atm was $\sim$15%. The energy input into the gas in an electron-beam-controlled method was measured. The degradation of the active medium was investigated in the two cases of the excitation by the electron-beam-controlled method and the pumping with an electron beam.