Influence of oxygen on the energy characteristics of a chemical pulsed hydrogen fluoride laser

The specific energy yield is calculated as a function of the pressure of oxygen and SF₆ buffer gas taking into account the secondary processes with the participation of the HO₂ radical. The results of these calculations are compared with the experimental data. A significant role of reactions with the participation of the HO₂ radical is revealed. A numerical analysis of the experiments also makes it possible to appreciably refine the rate constant of a process of interrupting a chain reaction with the participation of H₂ and F₂ as third bodies.