ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the results of studies of the characteristics of non-chain HF(DF) lasers initiated by self-sustained volume discharge. For most applications of high-power HF(DF) lasers, it is especially important to control the quality of laser radiation. The registration of the space–time distribution of the intensity of radiation from high-power pulsed lasers is essential to study the transmission of laser radiation over long distances and to achieve effective interaction with targets. The divergence of the radiation of a non-chain HF(DF) laser, initiated by a self-initiated volume dischage, is limited by the appearance of optical inhomogeneities of the active medium, which arise during the discharge and generation of radiating HF(DF) molecules. In non-chain HF(DF) lasers, the pumping times are rather short, therefore, the gas-dynamic density perturbations can be neglected, since they do not have time to develop during these times.
