Modeling the KrF laser discharge

Abstract

In this letter we describe modeling of an E‐beam‐controlled discharge operated in gas mixtures containing mainly argon with approximately 10% krypton and a few tenths of a percent fluorine. The discharge physics is dominated by electron impact ionization and excitation of the rare‐gas metastables. The ionization of the metastables impacts the discharge stability directly while their excitation strongly affects the efficiency of pumping KrF*. Predictions of the model are compared with experimental results.