Abstract

A klystron transmitter operating in the microwave L-band (1355 MHz) with a maximum power of 10 MW, an adjustable pulse duration of 500 ns to 6000 ns and a pulse repetition frequency of up to 430 Hz was used to excite a XeCl laser without preionization. The coupling structure housed a quartz discharge tube (inner and outer diameter 5.8 mm and 10.3 mm, respectively) 43.8 cm long, which was part of a resonantly charged microwave cavity. The cavity was loaded with electromagnetic energy in ~300 ns. The stored energy was extracted by a sudden switch and dumped into the discharge. This was accomplished by increasing the electron number density in the discharge tube filled with the excimer gas mixture.

© 1991 Optical Society of America