Lasing in the UV, IR and visible spectral ranges in a runaway-electron-preionised diffuse dischrage

Lasers on the mixtures of inert gases, H₂, D₂, and nitrogen with NF₃ and (or) SF₆ are studied under pumping by the volume (diffusive) discharge formed in a nonuniform electric field due to runaway-electron preionisation. Generation in the IR, visible and UV spectral ranges is obtained on atomic transitions of neon (λ = 585.3 nm), argon (750.3 nm) and fluorine (712.8 and 731.1 nm), and on molecular transitions of N2 (337.1 nm), XeF * (351 and 353 nm), HF (2.8 – 3.2 μm) and DF (3.8 – 4.2 μm). It is shown that in N₂ – SF₆, H₂ – SF₆ and D₂ – SF₆ mixtures the generation efficiency approaches the limiting values.