A coaxial high repetition rate pulsed gas laser is provided, having a peak value pulse to pulse reproducibility better than 1% at a repetition rate of up to 400 Hz. This is accomplished by synchronizing the time evolution of the high tension laser electrode voltage with the gas break-down delay period in such a way that the laser output and stability are optimized.
A gas laser system having a laser tube with two parallel rectangular flat electrodes, and a metal plate positioned between the parallel edges of the electrodes coupled to an electronic circuit for inducing the ionization of the gas in the gas laser tube preceding the discharge of the gas.
The present invention is an improved laser bore and electrode structure including an elongated chamber for use in combination with a gas laser within which a laser gas is disposed. The laser also includes first and second reflectors which reflect light energy from the laser gas discharge within the elongated chamber so that the light energy travels longitudinally the length of the elongated chamber and first and second electrodes which transversely excite the laser gas. Each of the electrodes is formed from an electrically conductive material and they are disposed opposing each other. An energy generator applies a voltage of alternating polarity between the first and second electrodes at a frequency ranging from 10 Mhz to about 3 GHz to establish a laser gas discharge in the laser gas. A coupling network matches the steady state impedance of the elongated chamber to the impedance of the energy generator and couples the first electrode to the second electrode in order to cancel the pre-ignition reactive impedance of the elongated chamber, the first impedance-matching network coupling the first and second electrodes and the second impedance-matching network to the energy generator. The improved laser bore and electrode structure includes an elongated chamber which is in the shape of a four pointed star and which is of cross-sectional dimensions suitable for confining a laser gas discharge. The elongated chamber is formed from a dielectric material.
A matching means (2) is arranged in a power source portion (5) including an RF power source (1), an output impedance (Z.sub.0) of the RF power source (1) is matched by the matching means with a impedance (Z.sub.L) of a laser tube (4) connected through a power transmitting means (3). Therefore, the laser tube (4) arranged in a laser emitting portion (6) is effectually supplied with an RF power generated by the RF power source (1), and a stable laser beam can be emitted from the laser tube (4) with a high efficiency.
In order to avoid that the thyratron in a conventional laser pulse discharge circuit latches up in its conductive condition, a control circuit is introduced, which ensures that the thyratron is only triggered in intervals where the voltage across the primary coil L1 is decreasing or has reached an oscillation amplitude which is below a predetermined level.
Integrated laser head apparatus is disclosed for producing high energy pulses in pulsed gas lasers. The present invention provides high energy pulses over short time durations suitable for laser rangefinder systems due to an improvement in the arrangement of energy storage capacitors (22, 24) which keeps circuit inductance to a minimum. The pair of nested, ceramic capacitors (22, 24) are substantially cylindrical and are coupled through thin conductive layers (23). The capacitors are charged by a spark gap trigger (14), an inductor (18), and a charging resistor (52). The capacitors (22, 24) enclose a pressure vessel (28) which further encloses a laser resonator (12) including a laser output coupler mirror (42), totally reflective mirror (44), discharge electrodes (32, 34) and a central chamber (30) which contains a pressurized gaseous phase laser medium. The high voltage discharge electrode (32) is disposed coaxially with the surrounding capacitors (22, 24).
