Gain and saturation intensity measurements of a discharge pumped F ₂ laser at high excitation rates

Small-signal gain and saturation intensity of a discharge pumped F ₂ laser at 157 nm, operated at high pressures (<10 atm) and high excitation rates (7-39 MW/cm³), were measured in an oscillator-amplifier configuration. The small-signal net gain reaches 37±4%/cm at an excitation rate of ∼26 MW/cm³ for a 6-atm laser gas. A saturation intensity, which depends on a nonsaturable absorption coefficient, was estimated.