Waveguide gas laser with high frequency transverse discharge excitation

摘要

Waveguide lasers are disclosed which are excited by means of a transverse discharge at rf frequencies generally in the vhf-uhf range, i.e., from about 30 MHz to about 4 GHz. These excitation frequencies are sufficiently high to ensure negligible interaction of discharge electrons with the discharge-establishing electrodes (10 and 12), thereby achieving superior discharge properties which result in a laser of improved performance and reduced size and complexity.