Abstract

Although the first laser transitions, obtained by hollow-cathode excitation were reported in 1970,^1-3 there is still a great deal of interest in finding new configurations for improving the efficiencies of these lasers. Two of the principal characteristics of hollow-cathode metal-ion lasers are their ability to create significant metal density by means of sputtering⁴ and the possibility of operating them in the UV (220-320 nm) at one-twentieth the discharge current required for rare-gas ion lasers.⁵

© 1991 Optical Society of America