ArF short-pulse extraction studies

A series of measurements characterizing an e-beam pumped ArF* laser was carried out using a 200-ns e-beam pulse having a rise time of 25 ns at currents up to 50 A/cm2. These pump conditions are relevant for inertial confinement fusion laser drivers. Intrinsic laser efficiencies up to 7.7% and power efficiencies up to 10% were observed. At high pressures (2 atm<P<5 atm) F2/Ar/Ne mixtures performed significantly better than F2/Ar mixtures. Absorption measurements were performed in Ne-buffered mixtures as a function of pressure, wavelength, and time. It appears that the background absorption peaks at a wavelength of 220 nm and is significantly smaller near 193 nm