An electron beam pumped molecular F*2laser with optical pulse widths up to 160 ns, and an output energy of 1.7 J (optical flux of 4.6 MW/cm2) has been realized. The widths of the laser pulses seem only limited by the duration of the excitation pulse (160 ns). For specific output powers up to 100 kW/cm3no signs of self‐terminating laser pulses due to bottlenecking in the lower laser level have been observed. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.