Reasons for the fall in the output power of a pulse-periodic XeCl laser during its operation

The results are given of a determination of the composition and of measurements of the concentrations of products formed in the gas mixture of an XeCl laser during its operation. An analysis showed that chlorine molecules accumulated in the mixture and strongly absorbed the laser radiation. It was found that the lasing characteristics could be improved by adding gases to the mixture, which facilitated the dissociation of molecular chlorine.