Pulse discharge laser with passive arc protection

Abstract

A pulse discharge laser is provided having a pair of electrodes disposed within a laser chamber pressurized with a high-pressure gas. A preionizer generator intermittently produces preionization energy to preionize the high pressure gas in the laser chamber. A pulse forming network intermittently supplies a ramping voltage to the pair of electrodes. When the high pressure gas in the laser chamber is not properly preionized by the preionization energy a damaging arc may occur and lasing will not occur by discharge of the ramping voltage on the electrodes. A passive electrode arc protector is provided connected across the pair of laser electrodes to discharge the ramping voltage across the electrodes when the high pressure gas is not properly preionized to protect the laser electrodes from a damaging arc between them.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.