Parametric investigation of a pulsed nonchain HF laser

Parametric investigations are described of a pulsed chemical hydrogen fluoride laser utilizing C$_3$H$_8$–SF$_6$, H$_2$–SF$_6$, and H$_2$–C$_3$H$_8$–SF$_6$ mixtures. An electrical efficiency of $\eta=5$% was obtained for multifrequency lasing, with an energy of 0.5 J and a peak intensity of 7.3 MW. Investigations were made of the temporal structure of pulses emitted by a laser with a nonselective resonator, of the mechanisms for the formation of spikes when lasing on individual vibrational-rotational transitions, and also of certain questions concerning the generation of short-duration ($\tau\lesssim10$ nsec) HF laser radiation pulses.