High-frequency discharge excited oxygen generator for iodine laser and high-frequency discharge excited oxygen generating method

A high-frequency discharge excited oxygen generator comprises: a hollow cathode 2 having a plasma channel 3 opened; an anode 4 insulated from the hollow cathode 2 and disposed on an exhaust side of this hollow cathode 2; and a high-frequency power supply 5 for supplying a high-frequency power between this anode 4 and the hollow cathode 2. The excited oxygen generator supplies the plasma channel 3 of the hollow cathode 2 with O2 gas or a mixed gas, in which O2 gas and another gas are mixed, and produces singlet excited oxygen. Further, the excited oxygen generator comprises an injector 10 for supplying NO gas toward the center of the plasma channel 3 disposed on the supply side of the plasma channel 3. The NO gas supplied to the central portion of the plasma channel 3 is not dissociated into nitrogen and oxygen and excites O2 gas to excited oxygen.