This volume contains the proceedings ofthe NATO Advanced Research Workshop 950443 on "Gas lasers-recent development and future prospects". The workshop was held in Moscow, July 2-5, 1995. During the workshop 22 oral presentations and 23 posters havebeen presented. Among the continuously expanding research on new laser systems in the extending spectrum range gas lasers are unique in many ways: the availability of high (average) power in all parts of the spectrum from the far infrared to the vacuum ultraviolet, the homogeneity ofthe active medium with the potential ofhigh beam quality even at high power and their relatively low costs. In the gas laser development one can distinguish the research towards new or improved laboratory devices and the efforts that are devoted to the development of characteristics like reliability, low costs and versatility that make the laser more suitable for industrial purposes. The industrial applications with dedicated devices are not only a natural e"1ension ofthe laser development itselfbut moreover they have nowadays a strong stimulating effecton this development. The workshop offered the participants many opportunities to discuss fundamental and technological problems of different types of lasers connected with beam proporties, excitation technology, new pumping schemes, pulsed power, construction materials and new codes for the description of laser operation. The interest was especially directed towards high power systems operating in the ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet, the radio'frequency discharge physics for waveguide structures and the achievement in molecular CO and CO systems.

Klappentext

Gas lasers are unique in many ways: the availability of high (average) power in all parts of the spectrum from far IR to vacuum UV, the homogeneity of the active medium allowing high beam quality at high power, and relatively low cost. Industrial applications are a natural extension of laser development; one that has a direct effect on the development work. The present volume presents many fundamental and technological problems associated with different types of lasers, such as beam properties, excitation technology, new pumping schemes, pulsed power, construction materials, and new codes for the description of laser operation. Particular emphasis is laid on high power systems operating in UV and vacuum UV, radio frequency discharge physics for waveguide structures, and the achievements in molecular CO and CO2 systems. Other striking results are a table-top kW CO2 slab laser, high cw output power in the 1-3 micron range with rf discharges in atomic gases at relatively high gas densities, and the efficient optical pumping of excimer lasers with ferrite flashes. Excimer lasers now operate at average powers of 1 kW in the UV, and the drive to shorter wavelength is promising for such materials as F2 at 157 nm. A variety of applications are discussed: industrial systems with molecular systems; high resolution lithography; efficient X-ray production; fast switching techniques for IR laser beams.

Inhalt
Prospects for gas lasers..- Physics of high power CO lasers..- Generation of VUV radiation with ionic and F2 excimer lasers..- Radio-frequency capacitive discharges and gas lasers with RF excitation..- Capacitively coupled RF excitation of CW gas lasers and its comparison with hollow cathode lasers..- High power small bore planar waveguide C02 lasers..- RF excited gas lasers - recent progress..- High power CW molecular gas lasers using narrow gap slab waveguides..- High power multi-channel waveguide C02 laser arrays..- RF excited slab waveguide array C02 laser with mutual injection phase coupling..- Gas discharge lasers with combined pumping..- Recent advances in the theoretical studies of low temperature plasmas 155 for gas lasers..- XeCl laser kinetics..- Optical pumping and ferrite flash discharges..- Pulsed periodic iodine laser..- CCRF excited copper ion laser..- Advanced technology for high average power pulsed gas lasers..- Measurement of the optical losses of C02 laser components..- Multikilohertz repetition rate CW discharge C02 laser with average power up to 2.5 kW..- Laser beams with helical wavefront dislocations and their 241 applications in the diagnostical and metrological systems..- Laser beams with helical wavefront dislocations and their applications in the diagnostical and metrological systems..- Large aperture discharge pumped excimer lasers as drivers of soft X- 257 ray sources..- Ultrahigh resolution lithography with excimer lasers..- Recent aspects of ultra short pulse mid- and far-infrared gas lasers 273 and their applications..- CO lasers - state of the art and potential of applications..- Recent advances in high-power lasers in the Kurchatov Institute..- C02 lasers with flexible parameters and their use in technological 301 applications..- High-power industrial C02 lasers excited by a nonseif-sustained glow 323 discharge..- High power gas laser research in Germany..- Recent progress in France on excimer lasers and applications..