Spectral regimes of an XeF laser

A detailed investigation was made of the emission spectra of an electric-discharge XeF laser pumped by short high-power pulses and operating in the buffer-gas (He and Ne) pressure range 0.01–0.8 MPa. The experimental results were explained on the basis of a model of relaxation processes in an excited electronic state. Several spectral regimes of laser operation were identified. Laser emission spectra were obtained for mixtures containing Ar and excited by an electron beam. It was necessary to take into account the population of the ground state in explaining these spectra.