Electric-discharge chemical laser utilizing a mixture of chlorine monofluoride with hydrogen

A determination was made of the energy, spectrum, and duration of emission of radiation generated as a result of vibrational-rotational transitions in HF and HCl molecules in a chemical laser utilizing ClF–H₂–He mixtures and subjected to short-pulse initiation of the pump reactions by a transverse electric discharge preceded by photopreionization. When the total energy of the output radiation pulses due to both HF and HCl molecules was 0.16 J, the efficiency of the laser measured relative to the energy deposited in the active medium was 60%, the specific output energy was 4 J/liter, and the power per pulse was 0.4 MW.