Ultrahigh brightness ultraviolet lasers: A comparison of krypton fluoride and xenon chloride

Krypton fluid and xenon chloride are both commonly employed as gain media in high-peak power, ultrashort pulse lasers. Significant differences between the two media that affect the design of ultrabright laser systems in which they are employed are reviewed. It is found that, in theory, KrF can produce more energetic, shorter, and more tightly focusable pulses than XeCl but that practical considerations limit laser brightness in the two media to comparable values, which are well below theoretical limits.