Compact distributed inductance RF-excited waveguide gas laser arrangement

A waveguide laser arrangement comprising:

• a housing bounding an internal space;
• a first electrode having a major surface situated in and facing into said internal space;
• a dielectric waveguide body juxtaposed with said major surface of said first electrode and bounding at least one elongated laser cavity;
• a second electrode juxtaposed with said waveguide body across said laser cavity from, and forming a capacitor of a predetermined capacitance with, said first electrode;
• a dielectric spacer body juxtaposed with said second electrode across from said waveguide body and having one major surface facing toward, and another major surface facing away from, said second electrode;
• distributed inductance means including a plura-ity of flat inductor coils distributed longitudinally of said laser cavity along and in juxtaposition with said other major surface of said spacer body and each having spaced first and second ends and a predetermined electric inductance between said ends;
• means for supplying first electric potential to
• said first electrode and a second electric potential to said second electrode, at least one of said electric potentials alternating at a predetermined frequency relative to the other;
• and
• first and second connecting means for electrically connecting said first and second ends of each of said inductor coils with said first and second electrode, respectively, with attendant inclusion of said inductances of said inductor coils electrically in parallel with said capacitance.