Efficient gas lasers pumped by run-away electron preionized diffuse discharge

It was shown that run-away electron preionized volume (diffuse) discharge (REP DD) can be used as an excitation source of active gas mixtures at elevated pressures and can produce laser emission. We report experimental and calculated results of application of the REP DD for excitation of different active gas mixtures. It was shown that the REP DD allows to obtain efficient lasing stimulated radiation in the IR, visible and UV spectral ranges. Kinetic model of the REP DD in mixtures of nitrogen with SF6 is developed allowing to predict the radiation parameters of nitrogen laser at 337.1 nm. Promising prospects of REP DD employment for exciting a series of gas lasers was demonstrated. Lasing was obtained on molecules N-2, HF, and DF with the efficiency close to the limiting value. It was established that the REP DD is most efficient for pumping lasers with the mixtures comprising electro-negative gases.