Abstract

The need of high-average-power UV laser radiation for applications such as photochemistry has prompted in the last few years the development of high-pulse-repetition-rate (PRR) rare gas halide discharge-pumped lasers utilizing fast gas-flow systems. Among the problems still related to the optimization of these lasers, particular attention must be given to understanding the high PRR limitations due to the residual gas density perturbations and to the onset of discharge instabilities. We present some diagnostic measurements performed on a high PRR XeCl discharge laser to investigate these effects.

© 1985 Optical Society of America