A three-electrode discharge system for long-pulse high-power KrCl excimer lasers

Abstract

High-pressure gas discharge experiments are carried out in a novel three-electrode prepulse-mainpulse configuration with two discharge volumes. The design is capable to break down both x-ray preionized volumes at the same time. First experiments in Xe/HC1/Ne mixtures reveal spatially very homogeneous discharges for up to 350ns with a power deposition of 260 kW/cm3. For discharges in Kr/HC1JNe mixtures we observe also very homogeneous discharges for a similar long pulse duration when a low krypton concentration of 10 mbar is used. For discharges in mixtures with a higher krypton concentration of 1 00 mbar we still observe very homogeneous discharges for 200 ns. Furthermore the total discharge current is established 8-10 times faster than in other systems.