The results of experimental studies of the formation of narrow-band high-energy radiation in a discharge single-module KrF laser are presented. The conditions for the combustion of a diffuse discharge in a KrF laser are revealed, which provide a maximum specific energy of radiation pulses of 9.5 J/l, with an internal energy efficiency of ~4%. The duration of radiation generation for several half periods of the pump current is realized. The operating conditions of the optical system generator-amplifier allowing narrow-band (2 pm) high-energy radiation in the spectral range of 247.5–249.6 nm are determined.

The paper presents the results of an experimental study of the dynamic characteristics of the laser fragmentation/laser-induced fluorescence (LF/LIF) effects in nitrobenzene vapors under the separate initiation of processes of photofragmentation and fluorescence of fragments by nanosecond laser pulses. It is shown that, due to the inertia of the dissociation mechanism of nitrobenzene molecules, the process of the fragments’ formation continues even after letup of excitation. The highest concentration of fragments is reached in a time several times greater than the standard fragmentation pulse duration of 10 ns. A kinetic model is presented that allows one to trace the temporal dynamics of the LF/LIF process of nitrobenzene vapors under separate excitation. A good agreement between the experimental data and the results of calculation indicates the adequacy of application of the developed kinetic model for describing the LF/LIF process. The information obtained in the experiment made it possible to clarify the values of the rate constants of the nitrobenzene dissociation.

A self-consistent two-dimensional model of the discharge KrF laser on Ne/Kr/F2 gas mixtures is described. The model predictions are compared with the experimental results for a KrF laser with an excitation pulse duration of ~ 30 ns. An agreement within 10% for the discharge current and laser energy is obtained. Evolution of the discharge width and of the radiation intensity distribution between the electrodes over the time of a radiation pulse is demonstrated. In addition, the effect of the electrode radii on laser energy is analyzed.

Terawatt hybrid (solid state/gas) laser (THL-100) system on the basis of Ti:sapphire starting complex (50 fs, 5 mJ) and photochemical XeF(C-A) amplifier with the aperture of 24 cm is presented. Laser system is built at Institute of High Current Electronics SD RAS, Tomsk, Russia. The design and peculiarities of optical pumping of XeF(C-A) amplifier, methods of pump power measuring, gain distribution across the active volume are discussed. The results of numerical modeling of the output parameters simulation are presented and one compared with first experimental results.