On the possibility of pumping Xe2* lasers and VUV lamps in the afterglow of a background-electron multiplication wave

It was shown earlier that the ionisation propagation in a gas at about the atmospheric pressure may proceed due to the multiplication of the existing electrons with a low background density rather than the transfer of electrons or photons. We consider the feasibility of using the plasma produced in the afterglow of this background-electron multiplication wave for pumping plasma lasers (in particular, Xe₂^* xenon excimer lasers) as well as excilamps. Simulations show that it is possible to achieve the laser effect at λ≈172 nm as well as to substantially improve the peak specific power of the spontaneous radiation of xenon lamps.