OPTIMIZATION OF THE ENERGY CHARACTERISTICS OF PENNING ELECTRON-BEAM-PUMPED LASERS BASED ON THE 3P-3S TRANSITIONS IN THE NE ATOM

The energy characteristics of high-pressure (up to 10 bar) electron-beam-pumped lasers were optimised. These lasers operated on the basis of the 3p-3s transitions in the Ne I atom resulting in the emission at the wavelengths lambda = 585, 703, and 725 nm when the active medium was pumped by an electron beam with the current density 1.7 A/cm(2) in the form of pulses of 5 mu s duration. A record specific output energy of 0.15 J/litre (energy 1.5 J) was achieved at the 725 nm wavelength. The pressure dependence of the spectral width of the laser radiation was determined at lambda = 585 and 725 nm.