Compact distributed inductance rf-excited waveguide gas laser arrangement

摘要

A compact distributed inductance RF-excited waveguide gas laser (10) arrangement includes a housing (11) which bounds an internal space (12), and a waveguide laser stack (23) located in the internal space (12). The stack includes, in succession, a first electrode which may be constituted by a portion of the housing (11), a waveguide body (24) bounding at least one laser cavity (25), a second electrode (27), a spacer body (28), and a plurality of flat inductor coils (29) that extend along a major surface of the spacer body (28) that faces away from the second electrode (27) and are distributed along the length of the laser cavity (25). Each of the inductor coils (29) has a first end electrically connected with the first electrode and a second end (41) electrically connected with the second electrode (27) so that, when alternating electric current (44) at radio frequency is applied to one of the electrodes, the inductance of each of the inductor coils (29) is arranged electrically in parallel with the capacitance formed between the first and second electrodes (27) and transversely of the laser cavity (25).