Pre-ionizer for a laser

In combination for use in a laser,

• a tube made from a dielectric material and having properties to support a capacitive corona discharge without dielectric breakdown,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the tube and extending along the length of the tube to define a first plate of a capacitor,
• the tube serving as the dielectric of the capacitor,
• a resilient element made from an electrically conductive material and disposed externally of the tube and engaging the tube along substantially the length of the tube to provide a line contact with the tube and to define a second plate of the capacitor,
• means disposed along the length of the tube for co-operating with the resilient element in providing a support for the tube at a plurality of positions around the periphery of the tube to maintain the tube in a particular relationship in engagement with the resilient element,
• means for introducing a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the resilient element to produce radiation emitted by a corona discharge from the outer surface of the tube,
• an anode,
• a cathode,
• means defining a laser cavity enclosing the anode and the cathode,
• there being gases in the laser cavity,
• the tube being disposed relative to the laser cavity to introduce the radiation emitted by corona discharge into the laser cavity for ionizing the gases in the laser cavity.

In combination for use in a laser,

• a tube made from a dielectric material and having properties to support a capacitive corona discharge without dielectric breakdown,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the tube and extending along the length of the tube to define a first plate of a capacitor,
• the tube serving as the dielectric of the capacitor,
• a resilient element made from an electrically conductive material and disposed externally of the tube and engaging the tube along substantially the tube to provide a line contact with the tube and to define a second plate of the capacitor,
• means disposed along the length of the tube for co-operating with the resilient element in providing support for the tube to maintain the tube in a fixed position in engagement with the resilient element,
• means for introducing a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the resilient element to produce radiation emitted by a corona discharge from the outer surface of the tube,
• an anode,
• a cathode,
• means defining a laser cavity enclosing the anode and the cathode,
• there being gases in the laser cavity,
• the tube being disposed relative to the laser cavity to introduce the radiation emitted by corona discharge into the laser cavity for ionizing the gases in the laser cavity,
• the support means for the tube being shaped to provide contacts on the periphery of the tube to provide a precise positioning of the tube in cooperation with the line contact provided by the resilient element,
• the resilient element being electrically conductive and being at a voltage different from the voltage on the first electrical conductor.

In combination for use in a laser,

• a tube made from a dielectric material and having properties to support a capacitive corona discharge without dielectric breakdown,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the tube and extending along the length of the tube to define a first plate of a capacitor,
• the tube serving as the dielectric of the capacitor,
• a resilient element made from an electrically conductive material and disposed externally of the tube and engaging the tube along substantially the tube to provide a line contact with the tube and to define a second plate of the capacitor,
• means disposed along the length of the tube for co-operating with the resilient element in providing support for the tube to maintain the tube in a fixed position in engagement with the resilient element,
• means for introducing a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the resilient element to produce radiation emitted by a corona discharge from the outer surface of the tube,
• an anode,
• a cathode,
• means defining a laser cavity enclosing the anode and the cathode,
• there being as in the laser cavity,
• the tube being disposed relative to the laser cavity to introduce the radiation emitted by corona discharge into the laser cavity for ionizing the gases in the laser cavity,
• a pair of dielectric members disposed on the tube near the ends of the tube and integral with the tube and made from a material homogeneous with the material of the tube.

In a combination for use in a laser, a tube made form a dielectric material constituting a polycrystaline aluminum oxide ceramic with traces of other metallic elements than aluminum, the aluminum oxide have a purity greater than ninety nine percent (99%) in the dielectric material,

• a first electrical conductor disposed within the tube and defining a first capacitor plate,
• a second electrical conductor disposed on the external surface of the tube and defining a second capacitor plate,
• means for introducing a voltage between the first and second capacitor plates to produce radiation emitted by a corona discharge from the surface of the tube without any penetration of the corona discharge into the tube, and
• dielectric members disposed on the tube near the opposite ends of the tube and integral with the tube and having properties homogeneous with those of the tube.

In combination for use in a laser,

• a first tube made from a dielectric material having high dielectric properties,
• a first pair of bushings each made from a dielectric material homogeneous with the dielectric material of the first tube and disposed on the first tube near an individual end of the tube and integral with the external surface of the tube,
• first electrically conductive means disposed within the first tube and defining a first plate of a first capacitor,
• second electrically conductive means disposed on the first tube externally of the first tube and defining a second plate of the first capacitor,
• a second tube made from the same material as the first tube and spaced in a first direction from the first tube,
• a second pair of bushings corresponding to the first pair of bushings and disposed on the second tube near an individual end of the second tube and integral with the second tube,
• third electrically conductive means disposed within the second tube and defining a first plate of a second capacitor,
• fourth electrically conductive means disposed on the second tube externally of the second tube and defining a second plate of the second capacitor,
• means defining a cavity for holding the laser,
• an anode in the cavity,
• a cathode disposed in the cavity and spaced in a first direction from the anode,
• there being in the cavity gases ionized by an electrical discharge between the anode and the cathode,
• the first and second tubes being spaced from each other in a second direction transverse to the first direction and being disposed relative to the gases in the cavity for pre-ionizing the gases in the cavity in accordance with radiation emitted by the corona discharges from the external peripheries of the tubes.

In a combination for use in a laser,

• a first tube made from a polycrystaline aluminum oxide with a 99.9% purity and with traces of other metallic elements than aluminum,
• a second tube made from a polycrystaline aluminum oxide with a 99.9% purity and with traces of other metallic elements than aluminum,
• means associated with the first tube for producing a corona discharge from such tube,
• means associated with the second tube for producing a corona discharge from such tube,
• means defining a cavity for a laser,
• an anode in the cavity, and
• a cathode disposed in the cavity and displaced from the anode in a first direction,
• there being gases in the cavity for ionization and chemical reaction upon an electrical discharge between the anode and the cathode,
• the first and second tubes being spaced from each other in a second direction transverse to the first direction to produce the corona discharges in the cavity for a preionization of the gases in the cavity by radiation emitted from the corona discharges and for chemical reaction of the gases in the cavity,
• first bushing means integral with the external surface of the first tube near the opposite ends of the first tube and made from the same material as the first tube, and
• second bushing means integral with the external surface of the second tube near the opposite ends of the second tube and made from the same material as the second tube.

In combination for use in a laser,

• means for defining a cavity for the laser,
• an anode in the laser,
• a cathode spaced in the cavity from the anode in a first direction,
• there being gases in the cavity,
• means for energizing the anode and the cathode to produce an electrical discharge between the anode and the cathode and to produce an ionization and chemical reaction of the gases in the cavity in accordance with such electrical discharge,
• a first tube disposed in the cavity and made from a dielectric material,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the first tube,
• a first resilient electrically conductive member disposed externally to the first tube in line engagement with the first tube,
• first means associated with the first tube and the first resilient electrically conductive member for establishing an engagement between the first resilient conductive member and the first tube,
• a second tube displaced in the cavity and spaced from the first tube in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and made from the dielectric material,
• a second electrically conductive member disposed in the second tube,
• a second resilient electrically conductive member disposed externally to the second tube in line engagement with the second tube,
• second means associated with the second tube and the second electrically conductive member for establishing an engagement between the second resilient conductive member and the second tube, and
• means for introducing a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the first resilient electrically conductive member and between the second electrical conductor and the second resilient electrically conductive member to produce a corona discharge from the external surfaces of the first and second tubes for pre-ionizing the gas in the cavity.

In combination for use in a laser,

• a housing,
• a tube disposed in the housing and made from a material having a high dielectric constant,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the tube and connected to the housing,
• a bushing made from a material having a high dielectric constant and having properties homogeneous to the tube, the bushing being integral with the external surface of the tube near one end of the tube,
• a second electrical conductor disposed on the external surface of the tube at a position further removed from the housing than the bushing,
• means for retaining the second electrical conductor in a fixed position on the housing, and
• means for producing a voltage difference between the first and second electrical conductors to produce a corona discharge from the tube.

In combination for use in a laser,

• a cathode,
• an anode disposed in spaced relationship to the cathode in a first direction,
• a first tube made from a dielectric material,
• a second tube made from the dielectric material and spaced from the first tube in a second direction transverse to the first direction,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the first tube,
• a second electrical conductor disposed in the second tube,
• a first resilient element disposed on the first tube,
• a second resilient element disposed on the second tube,
• the first and second resilient elements being electrically conductive,
• first means disposed on the first tube and co-operative with the first resilient element to establish a three (3)-line contact with the first tube in cooperation with the first resilient element,
• second means disposed in the second tube and cooperative with the second resilient element to establish a three (3)-line contact with the second tube in cooperation with the second resilient element,
• third means disposed relative to the first means for establishing a detent relationship with the first means to provide the three (3)-line contact against the first tube in cooperation with the first resilient element, and
• fourth means disposed relative to the second means for establishing a detent relationship with the second means to provide the three (3)-line contact against the second tube in cooperation with the second resilient element.

In combination for use in a laser,

• means for defining a laser cavity,
• a tube made from a dielectric material and having properties to support a capacitive corona discharge without dielectric breakdown,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the tube and extending along the length of the tube to define a first plate of a capacitor,
• the tube serving as the dielectric of the capacitor,
• a resilient element made from an electrically conductive material and disposed externally of in the tube and engaging the tube along substantially the length of the tube to provide a line contact with the tube and to define a second plate of the capacitor,
• means disposed along the length of the tube for cooperating with the resilient element in providing support for the tube at a plurality of positions around the periphery of the tube to maintain the tube in a particular relationship in engagement with the resilient element,
• means for introducing a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the resilient element to produce radiation emitted by a corona discharge from the outer surface of the tube,
• there being gases in the laser cavity,
• the tube being disposed relative to the laser cavity to introduce the radiation emitted by the corona discharge into the laser cavity for ionizing the gases in the laser cavity.

In combination for use in a laser,

• means for defining a laser cavity,
• a tube made from a dielectric material and having properties to support a capacitive corona discharge without dielectric breakdown,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the tube and extending along the length of the tube to define a first plate of a capacitor,
• the tube serving as the dielectric of the capacitor,
• a resilient element made from an electrically conductive material and disposed in the tube and engaging the tube along substantially the length of the tube to provide a line contact with the tube and to define a second plate of the capacitor,
• means disposed along the length of the tube for cooperating with the resilient element in providing support for the tube to maintain the tube in a fixed position in engagement with the resilient element,
• means for introducing a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the resilient element to produce radiation emitted by a corona discharge from the outer surface of the tube,
• there being gases in the laser cavity,
• the tube being disposed relative to the laser cavity to introduce the radiation emitted by the corona discharge into the laser cavity for ionizing the gases in the laser cavity,
• the support means for the tube being shaped to provide contacts on the periphery of the tube to provide a precise positioning of the tube in cooperation with the line contact provided by the resilient element,
• the resilient element being electrically conductive and being at a voltage different from the voltage on the first electrical conductor.

In combination for use in a laser,

• means for defining a laser cavity,
• a tube made from a dielectric material and having properties to support a capacitive corona discharge without dielectric breakdown,
• a first electrical conductor disposed in the tube and extending along the length of the tube to define a first plate of a capacitor,
• the tube serving as the dielectric of the capacitor,
• a resilient element made from an electrically conductive material and disposed in the tube and engaging the tube along substantially the length of the tube to provide a line contact with the tube and to define a second plate of the capacitor,
• means disposed along the length of the tube for cooperating with the resilient element in providing support for the tube to maintain the tube in a fixed position in engagement with the resilient element,
• means for introducing a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the resilient element to produce radiation emitted by a corona discharge from the outer surface of the tube,
• there being gases in the laser cavity,
• the tube being disposed relative to the laser cavity to introduce the radiation emitted by the corona discharge into the laser cavity for ionizing the gases in the laser cavity,
• a pair of dielectric members disposed on the tube near the ends of the tube and integral with the tube and made from a material homogeneous with the material of the tube.