Radio-frequency excited gas laser
AssigneeCoherent, Inc.
InventorsLeon A. Newman, Michael Leigh Ermold, James Hyland, Thomas V. Hennessey, Jr., Lanny Laughman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A radio-frequency excited carbon dioxide (CO2) or carbon monoxide (CO) gas laser includes two electrodes, which have passivated surfaces, within a sealed housing. Features in a ceramic slab or a ceramic cylinder located between the electrodes define a gain volume. Surfaces of the ceramic slab or the ceramic cylinder are separated from the passivated surfaces of the electrodes by small gaps to prevent abrasion thereof. Reducing compressive forces that secure these components within the housing further reduces abrasion, thereby extending the operational lifetime of the gas laser.
Claims24
A radio-frequency excited gas laser, comprising:
- a housing containing the gas;
- a first electrode elongated along a longitudinal axis surface;
- a second electrode elongated along the longitudinal axis and parallel to the first electrode, the first and second electrodes located in the housing and mutually separated by a distance D;
- and
- a dielectric slab located between the first and second electrodes that defines a gain volume when the gas is excited by a radio-frequency field, the dielectric slab having opposite first and second surfaces parallel to the first and second electrodes;
- wherein the first surface of the dielectric slab is separated from the first electrode by a first gap such that, where the dielectric slab and the first electrode have mutually-facing surfaces, less than 25% of the mutually-facing surfaces of the dielectric slab and the first electrode are in contact with each other, and the second surface of the dielectric slab is separated from the second electrode by a second gap such that, where the dielectric slab and the second electrode have mutually-facing surfaces, less than 25% of the mutually-facing surfaces of the dielectric slab and the second electrode are in contact with each other.
A radio-frequency excited gas laser, comprising:
- a housing containing the gas;
- a hollow dielectric cylinder located in the housing and oriented along a longitudinal axis, the dielectric cylinder defining a gain volume when the gas is excited by a radio-frequency field, the gain volume being the hollow interior of the dielectric cylinder;
- a first electrode having a first surface that is concentric with an outside surface of the dielectric cylinder;
- and
- a second electrode having a second surface that is concentric with the outside surface of the dielectric cylinder, the first and second electrodes located on opposite sides of the dielectric cylinder;
- wherein, the first surface is separated from the outside surface by a first gap such that less than 25% of the first surface is in contact with the outside surface, and the second surface is separated from the outside surface by a second gap such that less than 25% of the second surface is in contact with the outside surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.