Abstract

The structure and dynamics of the discharge as well as the kinetics of a XeCl laser were studied spectroscopically with spatial and temporal resolution. The discharge and the XeCl density distribution have a clear structure that is usually averaged by round-trip gain. The density distribution of the excited particles is not uniform, not only across the axis of the electric field but also along the field (where it has a layerlike character). Most clearly evident is the layer near the cathode in which electron energy is high and mainly He is excited. The other part of the discharge is also divided into layers, perhaps due to a strong nonlinearity such as dissociative electron attachment to HCI.

© 1986 Optical Society of America