Cathode bleed arrangement for electrically excited flowing gas lasers
US4558450A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 29, 1982 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 29, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/0971
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A high power, electrically excited laser is disclosed wherein a laser gas is caused to flow through an excitation region in which an electric discharge is established along a direction transverse to the direction of flow of the laser gas between an anode and a porous cathode disposed on opposite sides of the excitation region, and wherein an electron beam is introduced into the excitation region along a direction parallel to the direction of the discharge. A first quantity of an auxiliary gas (preferably helium) having a normal glow current density at least an order of magnitude less than that of the laser gas is introduced into the upstream end of the excitation region adjacent to the cathode and caused to flow across the cathode surface along a direction parallel to that of the laser gas. A second quantity of the auxiliary gas is "bled" through the porous cathode and gradually added to the auxiliary gas stream flowing across the cathode surface. The auxiliary gas is removed from the laser at the downstream end of the excitation region.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.