Lasing in mixtures of rare gases with fluorine pumped by volume diffuse discharge
Laser parameters in Не-Ar(Kr, Xe)-F<sub>2</sub> and He-F<sub>2</sub> gas mixtures under pumping by runaway electron preionized diffuse discharge (REP DD) are studied. It is shown that the REP DD can be a source of efficient laser emission on XeF<sup>*</sup> and KrF<sup>*</sup> molecules. Laser action on transitions of molecular fluorine in the VUV range at 157 nm was obtained in REP DD for the first time. It was shown that high uniformity of REP DD allows one to increase laser pulse duration on rare gas fluoride molecules. Laser parameters obtained in the REP DD are comparable with those obtained under pumping by commonly used transverse discharges with preionization.