Increase in the repetition frequency of XeCl laser pulses to 1 kHz

An investigation was made of the possibility of increasing the repetition frequency of XeCl laser pulses by altering the rate of flow, the degree and homogeneity of preionization, and composition of the gas mixture. The concentration of xenon had a strong influence on the homogeneity of a discharge in the pulse-periodic regime and, consequently, on the maximum repetition frequency of laser pulses. The experimental dependences were explained on the basis of a criterion allowing for the processes of multistage ionization and for the influence of inhomogeneities of the gas density, observed in the pulse-periodic regime of the operation of this excimer laser, on the maximum energy which could be deposited in the discharge.