Experimental Investigation and Modeling of Kinetic Processes in a KrF Laser

The KrF laser with radiation pulse duration at half maximum of 20 ns is experimentally investigated. A self-consistent model is developed considering the electric circuit, the kinetic processes in the active medium, and the formation of laser radiation in a resonator. Time dependences of the discharge current and voltage on the capacitor and discharge electrodes, plasma particle concentration, and rate constants of the processes determining the characteristics of the discharge and laser radiation are presented. Processes are revealed that determines the characteristics of the space charge and laser radiation. The kinetics of the processes of production and annihilation of KrF excimer molecules is studied in detail. It is demonstrated that high rates of destruction of excimer molecules increases the time of delay of generation thereby decreasing the efficiency of laser generation and limiting the possibility of decreasing laser radiation pulse duration.