Abstract

The advantages of solid state rare gas lasers compared to the gas phase lasers can be a high excimer density at reduced losses from excimer quenching and an efficient energy deposition. Free standing optically clear and 2 cm long rare gas crystals have been excited by an intense electron pulse (400 keV, 3kA, 3 x 10⁻⁹s, 3 J). Densities of excited centers of 10¹⁷ to 10¹⁸ cm⁻³ have been created in the crystals without reduction of the optical quality. The crystals emit the well known excimer bands at 128 nm (Ar), 145 nm (Kr) and 160 - 180 nm (Xe). Each band consits of two components, the dipole allowed transition $1{\sum }_{\text{u}}+\to 1{\sum }_{\text{g}}+$ which is responsible for amplified stimulated emission and a long living transition $3{\sum }_{\text{u}}+\to 1{\sum }_{\text{g}}+$.

© 1982 Optical Society of America