Investigation into the possibility of obtaining high specific lasing parameters from an HF laser utilizing a chain reaction

A study was made of the energy parameters of an electron-beam-excited H₂/F₂ laser at active medium pressures up to 3 atm, a specific output energy of 180 J/liter being obtained at an efficiency (referred to the electron beam energy deposited in the active volume) of 500%. An increase in the degree of initiation achieved on substituting sulfur hexafluoride in place of helium enabled a specific output energy of 400 J/liter to be obtained from a mixture at atmospheric pressure, with an efficiency of ~140% and a chemical efficiency of 22%.