Experimental study of a nonchain HF laser on heavy hydrocarbons

The output characteristics of a nonchain electric-discharge, closed cycle HF laser operating under pulsed and repetitively pulsed pumping with a rate of discharge current rise of ~ 10¹⁰ A s^-1 are experimentally studied. Using an anisotropically resistive cathode, a specific input energy of 200 J litre^-1 in mixtures of heavy hydrocarbons with SF₆ [SF₆ — (C₃H₈ + C₄H₁₀) ] was obtained. An unstable telescopic cavity provided a nearly diffraction-limited divergence.