Electric-discharge XeCl laser with high spatial homogeneity and energy density of output radiation

A study was made of an electric-discharge XeCl excimer laser (308 nm) having an active volume of ~ 120 cm³ and a highly homogeneous discharge, with a beam of 2 × 2 cm cross section. An investigation was made of the energy and temporal characteristics of the laser obtained using different excitation systems. For a radiation energy of 0.3 J, a specific output energy density of 2.6 J/liter was obtained. A good spatial homogeneity of the emitted radiation combined with a high output radiation energy density was achieved by selecting the gas mixture composition and by raising the input energy density.