Electrical characteristics of an E-beam controlled KrF*discharge

Plasma electrical characteristics have been measured as a function ofe-beam current density (JB) and fluorine concentration for Ar, Kr, and F2gas mixtures in order to identify the stable operating regime of KrF* laser interest. The data were obtained from a 120 cm³active volumee-beam controlled discharge laser. The optimum F2concentration was found to be 0.17 percent at JB= 17.9 A/cm². This mixture also gave the best laser extraction efficiency and consequently produced the highest laser output energy. The dissociative electron attachment rate constant in the laser mixture was determined from the discharge voltage and current measurements.