High-repetition-rate XeCl waveguide laser without gas flow.

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• Gas discharge physics
• Optics

Background:

• Microwave discharge lasers offer potential for high-power applications.
• Achieving high pulse repetition rates (PRR) is crucial for many laser applications.
• Gas flow is typically required in high-PRR lasers to manage heat and maintain gas uniformity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the operation of a microwave discharge Xenon Chloride (XeCl) laser at high pulse repetition rates.
• To determine the feasibility of operating such a laser without gas flow.
• To identify the limiting factors for high PRR operation.

Main Methods:

• Experimental setup utilizing a microwave discharge excitation.
• Operation of a Xenon Chloride (XeCl) laser medium.
• Systematic variation of pulse repetition rates up to 8 kHz.
• Analysis of laser performance and identification of operational limitations.

Main Results:

• Successful operation of the XeCl laser at pulse repetition rates up to 8 kHz.
• Demonstration of stable laser operation without the need for gas flow.
• Identification of thermally induced refractive-index gradients as the primary limitation.

Conclusions:

• High PRR operation of microwave discharge XeCl lasers is achievable without gas flow.
• Thermal effects, specifically refractive-index gradients, are critical factors limiting performance.
• Further research should focus on mitigating thermal effects for enhanced high-PRR laser operation.