NF3/H2 and ClF5/H2 chemical HF lasers initiated by radiation from a surface discharge

Laser action in the optically pumped HF chemical laser using NF3 molecule as an F atom donor, as well as a bleaching wave regime of pumping HF chemical laser have been observed for the first time. The formation of a bleaching wave running away from the surface discharge, used as a pumping source, at the velocity of approximately 8 km/sec results in very fast (with supersonic velocity) replacement of an active medium in the zone of laser action and provides, thereby, as high as unity quantum efficiency of the laser action. Output energy of 0.4 J in a 3.2 microsecond pulse and specific energy of 3.5 J/l were observed. Also presented are the preliminary results of the first observation of the laser action in HF upon optical pumping of ClF5/H2 mixture by radiation from a surface discharge.