Multichannel pseudo-spark switch and excitation circuit for gas lasers having the switch

US5050178A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Volker Bruckner · Mömbris, DE
• Willi Bette · Erlangen, DE
• Dirk Friede · Goldbach, DE
• Hans-Jurgen Cirkel · Erlangen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 26, 1990
• Grant date: Sep 17, 1991
• Expiry date: Oct 26, 2010

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/0971
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An excitation circuit for TE lasers serves to generate a homogeneous high pressure glow discharge between laser electrodes within a gas space of a laser chamber. A fast acting high voltage switch of a pulse forming network is a multi-channel pseudo-spark switch and is preferably integrated with the laser. The switch is formed of a parallel circuit including a number of individual pseudo-spark switches with gaps. The total multi-channel pseudo-spark switch is filled with an ionizable low pressure gas filling at a given pressure. Voltage is applied to the anode and the cathode in such a way that the resulting gas discharge is located on the left-hand branch of the Paschen curve. The switch of the excitation circuit can also be used as a separate structural element for triggering an electrical high voltage switch circuit, and also for so-called flat plane laser systems.