Vacuum ultraviolet lasing from highly ionized noble gases

Abstract

Vacuum ultraviolet laser emission was obtained from highly ionized noble gases using a simple longitudinal discharge device. Electric discharge excitation pulses with 500 ns duration and peak current density up to 14 000 A/cm2 produced lasing on five argon and krypton ion transitions below 200 nm. The two strongest emissions exhibited 0.1–1 kW peak power from Kr IV at 195.027 nm and 175.641 nm.