Generation and Quenching in the XeCl* Excimer Laser Pumped by Mixed Gamma-Neutron Radiation from a Nuclear Reactor

A decrease in the gain of the active medium of a nuclear-pumped excimer laser has been experimentally discovered at the B–X- and C–A-transitions of the XeCl* molecule (308, 352 nm), when the Ar‒Xe–CCl₄ medium is pumped with mixed gamma-neutron radiation nuclear reactor. The effect is due to the quenching effect of secondary electrons formed in the active medium of an excimer laser under the influence of instantaneous gamma radiation. The effect increases significantly with increasing gamma radiation flux density, and the loss coefficient can reach values of ~10^–2–2 × 10^–2 cm^–1.