Scaling of a laser based on atomic transitions in xenon pumped by an electron beam

An experimental investigation was made of the parameters of lasing as a result of atomic transitions in xenon observed when Ar — Xe and He — Ar — Xe mixtures were excited by an electron beam in a laser chamber with an active volume of ~600 litres. Electron beams from six double acceleration diodes were injected axially symmetric into this chamber. This ensured a more efficient utilisation of the pump energy and a uniform distribution of the laser radiation energy over a transverse exit aperture in the maximum specific input energies. An output radiation energy of the order of 100 J was generated with an efficiency of about 2% at λ = 1.73 μm and of the order of 50 J with an efficiency of about 1% at λ = 2.03 μm. An analysis was made of the experimental results and of criteria for the optimisation of the pump parameters in order to improve the output characteristics of a wide-aperture laser operating on the basis of atomic transitions in xenon.