Long pulse operation of an x-ray preionized molecular fluorine laser excited by a prepulse-main pulse system with a magnetic switch

The application of a prepulse-main pulse excitation scheme utilizing a saturable magnetic switch in combination with x-ray preionization has resulted in the generation of long optical pulses from a molecular fluorine laser. Optimum laser pulse durations of 70 ns (full width half maximum) have been obtained in a gas mixture of helium and 3 mbar fluorine at a total pressure of 2 bar, The laser pulse duration is limited by instabilities in the discharge. The laser pulse duration is found to decrease with increasing fluorine pressure and to saturate with increasing current density. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.