Discharge characteristics of SF6/C2H6 working mixture in electric-initiated pulsed HF laser

Typical spatial distribution of the discharge plasma fluorescence and temporal evolutions of the discharge current and voltage in SF6/C2H6 mixture have been measured, which serves as the working gas of the discharge-pumped pulsed HF laser. Discharge stability, residual voltage and energy deposition efficiency were systematically analyzed by changing the initial conditions. It is shown that the process of discharge in the gas mixture has three phases: main discharge, voltage plateau and arc discharge, each of which has different discharge characters. Deposited energy in the gas mixture increases with the increase of charge voltage, but the duration of voltage plateau would be shortened. The raise in C2H6 concentration will postpone the arc discharge. The increase in total pressure of the gas mixture increases the residual voltage and decreases the energy deposition efficiency of glow discharge. The optimal energy deposition efficiency can be obtained at the critical state that the voltage plateau just disappears.