Dominant formation and quenching processes inE-beam pumped ArF and KrF lasers

Abstract

The dominant formation and quenching processes in $E$-beam pumped ArF* and KrF* lasers are discussed. The quenching of ArF* by ${\mathrm{F}}_2$ and Ar has been measured by analyzing the ArF* ($B{}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}\Sigma _{\frac{1}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}\to X{}_{}{}^2{}_{}{}^{}\Sigma _{\frac{1}{2}}^{}{}_{}{}^{}$) fluorescence as a function of the ${\mathrm{F}}_2$ and Ar partial pressures. We have also measured the displacement of the Ar in ArF* by Kr to form KrF*. The dominant quenching processes of KrF* were identified, and the rate constants were measured. The ArF* and KrF* are formed from the ionic states with high efficiency. Interception of the precursors can be made negligible by choosing the experimental conditions properly. The quenching of KrF* by Ar and Kr is mainly a three-body process resulting in the formation of ${\mathrm{Kr}}_2$F*. The emission from ${\mathrm{Kr}}_2$F* was observed in a broadband centered at 410 nm. We have verified that the ${\mathrm{Kr}}_2$F* is produced subsequent to the KrF* formation by performing a laser saturation experiment.