Water dielectric Blumlein-driven fast-electric-discharge KrF laser

Abstract

A low‐impedance water dielectric Blumlein pulse forming network (PFN) with an integral multi‐arc‐channel initiation switch has been developed as a fast‐discharge laser pulser. Preionization of the laser medium is obtained by the use of behind‐the‐cathode uv arcs driven by an integral low‐inductance water capacitor used in conjunction with the main PFN. With KrF, the laser has developed 180 mJ per pulse using a PFN impedance of 1.3 Ω at a laser efficiency of 1.2% from a 70‐cm³ extracted volume. In preliminary experiments with a 0.6‐Ω PFN, 250 mJ was obtained under similar conditions. The resulting discharge in both cases was extremely homogeneous due to the uniform preionization.