Investigation of the physical parameters of an iodine amplifier pumped by open high-current discharge radiation

Investigations were made of the magnitude and distribution of the population inversion, homogeneity of the medium, and influence of an amplifier on the master-oscillator pulse contrast. It was found that the population inversion distribution was strongly inhomogeneous. The active medium in the amplifier was very homogeneous and ensured a divergence of 10^–4 rad. The iodine amplifier had a negligible (for the contrast) luminescence noise level.