Investigation of an ultraviolet laser utilizing the XeF* molecule pumped by excimer radiation

Lasing was obtained on 22 electronic-vibrational transitions of the XeF* molecule in the near ultraviolet spectral region when XeF2 was excited by radiation from Xe*2 excimers. An investigation was made of the dependence of the laser output energy due to the different electronic-vibrational transitions on the pressures of the He, N2, and Ar. The experimental data obtained were used to estimate the depopulation constants of the vibrational levels of the X state with υ = 3,6,7. The laser efficiency was 2.3%, after allowance for the utilization efficiency of the pump radiation.