Modeling the KrF laser discharge

Abstract

In this letter we describe modeling of an E-beam-controlled discharge operated in gas mixtures containing mainly argon with approximately 10% krypton and a few tenths of a percent fluorine. The discharge physics is dominated by electron impact ionization and excitation of the rare-gas metastables. The ionization of the metastables impacts the discharge stability directly while their excitation strongly affects the efficiency of pumping KrF*. Predictions of the model are compared with experimental results.