High efficiency multikilojoule HF chemical lasers using an electron beam initiated low-pressure mixture of H₂/F₂/NF₃ or H₂/F₂/SF₆

High electrical and high chemical efficiencies were simultaneously achieved for the multikilojoule HF chemical laser using a Lambda-type (inclined type) electron beam initiation scheme. The optimum addition of NF₃ or SF₆ fluorine donor could increase both efficiencies and could reduce the total pressure of the laser gas mixture. The laser output obtained from the low-pressure mixture of H₂/F₂/O₂/NF ₃=30/208/62.5/70 (Torr) was 4.5 kJ in a 50-ns FWHM pulse width with an electrical laser efficiency of 226% and a chemical efficiency of 18.5%.