Abstract

In the last several years, experiments have shown that short-wavelength lasers are likely to be quite effective as ICF drivers because, in part, of the nearly total absorption of the incident light energy and the much reduced production of energetic electrons. Hence there is much current interest in the development of short-wavelength high-power lasers possessing potentially high efficiency, low cost, and performance and cost scalability to very high energies. Excimer lasers appear to offer these features.

© 1984 Optical Society of America