Theoretical simulation of electron-beam-excited xenon-chloride (XeCl) lasers

The theoretical kinetics model for e-beam-excited XeCl lasers is used to study the effect of Ar and Ne diluents on the performance characteristics of the XeCl laser. Analysis of the XeCl-star formation and relaxation processes and of the 308 nm absorption process shows that the XeCl-star formation efficiency is determined mainly by the difference between ionic potentials of Xe and diluent gas used. The extraction efficiency is found to be determined mainly by the quenching rate of the three-body reaction under a short-pulse and a high-excitation rate pumping regime, and by the absorption process under a long-pulse and a low-excitation rate pumping regime. The dependence of the intrinsic efficiency on the pumping pulse width and the excitation rate for both Ar/Xe/HCl and Ne/Xe/HCl mixtures is analyzed, obtaining same intrinsic efficiencies for both mixtures, although the operating conditions are slightly different.