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 th...

In electrical discharge apparatus, such as a gas laser, in which a glow discharge is to be produced in a gas between two electrodes, at least one pre-ionizing member is placed near the discharge space and extending between the electrodes so that current flows in the member which is made of intermediate resistivity material such as crystalline semiconductor material. As a result, the discharge space is pre-ionized which assists initiation of the main discharge. The pre-ionization may be due to th...

A discharge excitation type pulse laser apparatus includes main discharge electrodes and and an auxiliary discharge electrode. In order to make a voltage pulse applied to the auxiliary discharge electrode rise up steeply without incurring any appreciable time lag, a reactor connected in series to a first charging capacitor is constituted by a first saturable reactor 19 with a second saturable reactor being additionally inserted in series to a second charging capacitor. After stray inductance and...

A pre-ionizing system in which the pre-ionizer elements are integral with the cathode insulating plate is provided. The cathode insulating plate includes a recessed region machined into the front surface into which the cathode fits, lying substantially flush with the insulator front surface. The back surface of the insulating plate contains a pair of slots running parallel to the long axis of the cathode. The pre-ionizing rods are located within these slots, the slots having sufficient depth to ...

The amount of pre-ionization by the pre-ionization electrode provided on the gas outflow side of the main discharge space, out of at least one pair of pre-ionization electrodes, is adjusted so as to attain the desired beam profile. As a result, the pre-ionization intensity of the laser gas remaining on the gas outflow side of the main discharge space is made lower than the pre-ionization intensity of the laser gas flowing into the main discharge space. In other words, the intensity of the laser ...

The object of the invention in an arrangement for generating extreme ultraviolet radiation based on an electrically operated gas discharge is to reduce the time required for charging the electrodes by reducing the inductance of the discharge circuit. A high-voltage power supply connected to the electrodes which are constructed as disk electrodes and are rotatably mounted has a capacitor battery comprising capacitor elements which are arranged along a ring concentric to the axis of rotation of th...

A laser waveguide, where the laser waveguide can be formed by electrodes and at least one sidewall in a manner allowing a more compact structure than previously provided. Protrusions in the electrodes allow easier laser starts, and sectional sidewall(s) allow easier fabrication of sidewall(s), decreasing manufacturing costs.

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. ...

An improved argon-ion gas laser utilizes a dispenser-type cathode and within the cathode shroud mounts a preignition electrode and a heat shield enabling the cathode to be operated efficiently and within a 900.degree.-1050.degree. C. temperature range over an extended period of time.

An ultraviolet preionizer for high power gas lasers. The preionizer is a spark gap array or groups of arrays adapted to be fired preceeding the main discharge pulse of the laser. A fast energy dump to the spark array results in efficient ultraviolet light production. The spark gaps of an array are automatically fired in sequence providing a series current path through the gaps to dump the energy, while providing an electrical glow discharge at each gap for ultraviolet emission.