Solid-state laser having a moving lasing material

A solid-state laser having a smoothly moving lasing material, comprising:

• a movable lasing material with a substantially fixed shape and a pair of spaced-apart, generally oppositely facing exterior surface portions;
• lasing means for selectively causing a localized portion of the lasing material between the pair of lasing material exterior surface portion to lase;
• a fluid-bearing assembly receiving the movable lasing material therewithin, the fluid-bearing assembly having a pair of spaced-apart interior surface portions, each positioned to be in juxtaposition with and immediately adjacent to a corresponding one of the lasing material exterior surface portions as the lasing material moves within the fluid-bearing assembly, the fluid-bearing assembly further having fluid means for communication of a thermally conductive fluid to an interface between the fluid-bearing assembly interior surface portions and the corresponding ones of the lasing material exterior surface portions to transfer heat and provide a fluid bearing therebetween;
• means for supplying the thermally conductive fluid to the fluid-bearing assembly fluid means;
• means for cooling the fluid-bearing assembly;
• and
• transport means for moving the lasing material to pass the lasing material exterior surface portions corresponding to the localized portion of the lasing material lased past the interior surface portions of the fluid-bearing assembly.

A solid-state laser having a smoothly moving lasing material, comprising:

• a movable lasing material with a substantially fixed, solid rectangular shape with a surface portion;
• lasing means for selecting a localized portion of the lasing material to lase;
• a fluid-bearing assembly comprising two fluid bearings, each fluid bearing having a surface portion positioned to be in juxtaposition with and immediately adjacent to a distinct part of the surface portion of the lasing material, the surface portion of each fluid bearing containing a plurality of orifices for injecting a film of a thermally conductive cooling fluid between the surface portion and the corresponding part of the surface portion of the lasing material to transfer heat therebetween and to allow the lasing material to move smoothly with respect to the fluid bearing, each fluid bearing further having fluid means for communication of the thermally conductive cooling fluid to the plurality of orifices;
• means for supplying the thermally conductive fluid to the fluid means of the fluid bearings of the fluid-bearing assembly;
• means for cooling the fluid-bearing assembly;
• and
• transport means for moving the lasing material to pass the lasing material surface portion corresponding to the localized portion of the lasing material lased past the parts of the surface portion of the fluid bearings of the fluid-bearing assembly in a back-and-forth motion with respect to the lasing means.