Energy extraction from a large-volume HF laser amplifier

Abstract

Energy extraction from a large‐volume HF laser amplifier has been measured as a function of input intensity. Both the oscillator and amplifier were operated with similar gas mixtures of H₂ and F₂, which assured a good spectral match between the oscillator and amplifier. The amplifier input intensity was varied from 10⁴ to 2×10⁷ W/cm². An input intensity of 2×10⁷ W/cm² extracted an energy equal to about 90% of the energy extracted from the amplifier when it was operated as an oscillator. The experiment also demonstrated that an input intensity of 10⁴ W/cm² decreased the amplified spontaneous emission intensity by a factor of 2 from the value with no input. Increasing the input intensity level above 10⁴ W/cm² did not further reduce the amplified spontaneous emission.