A pulsed electric discharge gas laser driven by a folded Blumlein transmission line with liquid dielectric. A method of preionizing and firing the laser discharge utilizing the Blumlein voltage pre-pulse for preionization and the subsequent main voltage pulse for gap switch breakdown. A spark gap switch construction with first and second elongate electrodes, with the first electrode presenting a generally rounded surface to the second electrode which incorporates a thin continuous edge facing the first electrode. An elongate apertured cathode at the lasing chamber, with an elongate preionization electrode positioned behind the cathode, and a power supply providing a preionization electrical pulse across the cathode and preionization electrode producing ions and electrons in the lasing gas prior to the main discharge between the anode and cathode.
A high power excimer laser emits a pulsed output at a high repetition rate in the ultraviolet wavelength region and a uniform power output across the laser beam. By subjecting doped silicon wafers to the pulsed laser output, epitaxial regrowth of silicon crystals can be induced to repair damage to the silicon crystal structure which normally occurs during implantation of the dopant materials.
A gap switch includes an insulated vessel with hydrogen gas therein. A pair of directly-opposed electrodes cover two open end portions of the vessel. The two electrodes protrude into the interior of the vessel. A trigger pin with insulating material around it is within one of the electrodes and receives a pulsed voltage which thereby induces a discharge between the electrodes.
An improved railgap switch for use with pulse discharge gas lasers. The blade of the prior art railgap switches is replaced by an electrode having an "T" shaped cross section which provides two edges along which arcs are generated. The thickness of the "T" cross section near the edges at which arcs are formed is relatively uniform and oriented at a constant distance from the second electrode so that the thickness and distance remains unchanged despite ablation of the edges of the electrode. As a consequence the electrical properties of the switch are not altered significantly by ablation caused by repetitive operation of the switch.
A discharge-excited laser apparatus includes a pair of discharge electrodes extending in a direction of an optical axis; a plurality of charging capacitors charged by a power source; a plurality of peaking capacitors arranged in parallel in a longitudinal direction of the discharge electrodes and receiving energy accumulated in the charging capacitors; and a plurality of semiconductor switches arranged with conductive plates in the longitudinal direction of the discharge electrodes and connected in series and in parallel to the peaking capacitors. The construction of the semiconductor switches enables uniform shift of the energy in the charging capacitors to the peaking capacitors and reduction of inductance of a loop for capacity shifting.
A warehouse storage rack organization capable of accommodating pallets arranged in four-deep push-back relation is described in which three carts that move along a single pair of rails permit internested disposition of the carts when they are unloaded, and the sequential movement of load-bearing carts by the imposition via a forklift of subsequent loads on the remaining carts. The organization utilizes only a single pair of rails to achieve the desired result, which rails are formed of conventional structural members whereby the cost of production of the organization is significantly reduced.
