The disclosed arrangement for enhancing the starting characteristics of a cold cathode gas laser includes a strip of electrically conductive plastic disposed on the outer lateral surface of the laser tube. The strip extends longitudinally along the tube for most of the length of the tube and extends circumferentially about the tube in the vicinity of its end remote from the laser anode. A tape of electrically insulating material overlies the strip and adhesively holds it against the laser tube. The end of the strip remote from its circumferentially extending portion is electrically connected to the anode. Faster starting with relatively low voltages and with a more uniform voltage magnitude and turn-on time delay for individual laser tubes are achieved.
The turn-on delay of a cold cathode gas tube, such as a gas laser, is significantly reduced by the inclusion of an electric field concentrator in a region of the tube between the tube anode and cathode. The concentrator can take the form of a projecting conductive member having a sharp corner, linear or curved knife edge, needle like points, or combinations of such geometries.
Apparatus for securing a fragile cylindrical tube within an envelope by using at least two spaced-apart mounting rings which tend to center the tube within the envelope. Each mounting ring is provided with three radially-extending through-holes, and an elastic sphere having a diameter greater than the thickness of the ring placed in each through-hole is in contact with the inner surface of the envelope and the outer surface of the tube, thus centering the tube within the envelope.
The turn-on delay of a gas laser is significantly reduced by creating a region of higher electric field intensity between the plasma discharge-confining region of the laser and the laser anode. This is accomplished by creating one or more regions of higher conductivity along the surfaces of the laser tube structure. In one embodiment, a conductive strip is placed upon the surface of the capillary tube containing the plasma discharge. In other embodiments, a second electrode for concentrating the electric field in the preferred region of the tube is included.
The turn-on delay of a gas laser is significantly reduced by inducing a transient electric field of sufficient intensity to induce ionization in a localized region of the laser adjacent to the anode. This is accomplished by means of a coupler which couples the voltage applied to the cathode to a region of the laser immediately adjacent to the anode electrode.
An adjustable optical element mount having a pair of ball elements, respectively attached to a base and optical element, within a pair of sockets positioned at opposite ends of a spindle which supports a screw actuated cam element positioned within the spindle and between a pair of plungers which simultaneously engage and clamp the both ball elements against the sockets in response to rotation of the screw to hold the ball elements in a desired position.
