Characterization of an ultrahigh peak powerXeF(C→A) excimer laser system |
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Authors: | Hofmann T. Sharp T.E. Dane C.B. Wisoff P.J. Wilson W.L. Jr. Tittel F.K. Szabo G. |
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Affiliation: | Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Rice Univ., Houston, TX; |
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Abstract: | The gain characteristics of an electron-beam pumped XeF(C→A) excimer amplifier operating in the blue-green spectral region were investigated for several laser pulse lengths. Saturation energy densities of 50 and 80 mJ/cm2 were measured for injected laser pulse durations of 250 fs and ~100 ps, respectively. A gain bandwidth of 60 nm was observed with ~100-ps pulse injection. Using an optimized unstable resonator design, the laser amplifier has produced 275-mJ pulses with a pulse duration of 250 fs and a 2.5 times diffraction-limited beam quality, making the XeF(C→A) amplifier the first compact laser system in the visible spectral region to reach peak powers at the terawatt level |
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