Injection locking a xenon chloride laser at 308.4 nm

Abstract

A method for injection locking a xenon chloride laser at 308.4 nm. Neon (Ne) is used as a diluent in the laser to shift slightly the gain profile of the laser towards the longer wavelengths and towards 308.4 nm. The laser is operated at a lower level of gain than is used in the prior art by using a lower level of electrical discharge than was used in the prior art. The lowered gain reduces the numerical magnitude of the difference in the gain of the laser at 308.4 nm and its gain at the highest gain modes of operation. Either a low level signal at 308.4 nm is injected into the laser to mode lock the lowered gain laser at 308.4 nm. or a frequency selection device such as etalons is inserted within the laser cavity to restrict operation to 308.4 nm. The period of the electrical discharge also is lengthened from that typically used in the prior art so as to obtain saturation of the output at 308.4 nm.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.