Amplification of 350-fsec pulses in XeCl excimer gain modules

A pair of XeCl gain modules was used to amplify 350-fsec 308-nm pulses to ~10-mJ energies with <1-mJ amplifiedstimulated- emission content. Gentle focusing in air of the ~1.5-mJ beam from the first amplifier alone produces ~1000-cm-1 broadening of the pulse spectrum by the mechanism of self-phase modulation. © 1986 Optical Society of America.