Pulsed electric discharge laser utilizing water dielectric blumlein transmission line

In a pulsed electric discharge gas laser having an elongate gas lasing chamber with elongate spaced cathode and anode along opposite sides of the chamber, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a container of liquid dielectric;
• first, second, and third metal plates positioned in said container in a spaced relationship from each other with said second plate parallel to and opposite said first and third plates and wherein said first and third plates project through a wall of said container;
• means for connecting said first plate to said elongate cathode and said third plate to said elongate anode;
• an inductance connected between said first and third plates;
• means for connecting an external pulse power supply to said second plate and one of said first and third plates;
• a spark gap switch connected between said second plate and one of said first and third plates wherein said spark gap switch includes first and second continuous elongate electrodes substantially uniformly spaced from each other along the gap, with one of said electrodes having a thin edge facing the other of said electrodes.

In a pulsed electric discharge gas laser having an elongate gas lasing chamber with elongate spaced cathode and anode along opposite sides of the chamber, the improvement comprising in combination:

• a container of liquid dielectric;
• first, second, third, and fourth metal plates positioned in said container in a parallel spaced relationship from each other, with said second plate opposite said first and third plates;
• means for connecting said first plate to said cathode and said third plate to said anode;
• an inductance connected between said first and third plates;
• means for connecting an external pulse power supply to said second plate and one of said first and third plates;
• a second chamber separated from said lasing chamber by said cathode;
• an elongate preionization electrode positioned in said second chamber spaced from said cathode with said cathode having a plurality of openings therethrough for communication between said lasing and second chambers;
• means connecting said fourth metal plate in said container to said preionization electrode;
• and,
• means for connecting a second pulse power supply to said first and fourth plates.