Energyhyphen;extraction and beamhyphen;quality measurements are reported for Phoenix, Sandiarsquo;s highhyphen;energy HF laser system. The final amplifier in this oscillatorhyphen;amplifier chain used electronhyphen;beam initiation of highhyphen;pressure gas mixtures of H2hyphen;F2hyphen;O2. The oscillator and preamplifier utilized fast electric discharges in SF6hyphen;HI mixtures. Energyhyphen;extraction efficiency using this oscillator system was the same as that previously determined using an H2hyphen;F2hyphen;O2hyphen;fueled oscillator which produced a better spectral match to the amplifier but which yielded poorer beam quality. Lateral shearing interferograms showed no significant phasehyphen;front degradation of the beam by the final amplifier. Pinhole energyhyphen;transmission measurements using a shorthyphen;focalhyphen;length parabolic mirror determined that the focalhyphen;spot diameter was 2.7 times the diffractionhyphen;limited diameter.
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