Gain and absorption measurements in a KrF* laser

The small-signal gain and absorption of an electron-beam-excited KrF* laser mix was measured by probing the excited medium with a frequency-doubled flashlamp-pumped dye laser. The mixture contained 0.3% F2, 6% Kr, and 93.7% Ar. The doubled dye laser was used to determine the single-pass gain or loss of this e-beam-excited mixture over the KrF* (2Σ1/2 →2Σ1/2) emission band. The KrF* and other relevant excited-state number densities under the condition of the experiment were determined from a comprehensive kinetic model. The effective KrF* stimulated-emission cross section was determined by dividing the measured gain per centimeter on line center by the excited-state number density.