Longitudinal discharge pumped low-pressure XeCl laser

We have studied output parameters of a XeCl and a N₂ laser pumped by a longitudinal discharge with automatic spark UV preionisation. The output parameters of a low-pressure (30 Torr) XeCl laser operating with Ar, Ne and He as buffer gases or with no buffer gas have been optimised for the first time. The laser generated 5-ns FWHM pulses with an average power of 0.5 mW and output energy of 0.15 mJ. Under longitudinal discharge pumping, an output energy per unit volume of 1.8 J L^-1 atm^-1 was reached using helium as a buffer gas. With argon-containing and buffer-free mixtures, it was 1.5 J L^-1 atm^-1. The N₂ laser generated 2.5-ns FWHM pulses with an average power of 0.35 mW and output energy of 0.05 mJ.