Configuration of electrodes for transversely excited gas lasers

• US 4,618,961 A
• Filed: 12/16/1982
• Issued: 10/21/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Domino Printing Sciences PLC (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: LFUS DEI, Inc. (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sutter, Leroy V. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Jr., Leon
• Application Number:
  US06/450,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 372/87, 372/88, 372/83, 372/82
• US Class Current: 372/87
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/038 Electrodes, e.g. special shape, configuration or composition
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0387 Helical shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/09702 Details of the driver electronics and electric discharge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0975 using inductive or capacitive excitation

Abstract

The present invention is a configuration of electrodes in a transversely excited gas laser which includes an elongated cylindrical chamber with a laser gas confined therein, a pair of reflectors which reflect light energy from a discharge of the laser gas within the chamber so that the light energy travels longitudinally the length thereof, an rf generator which applies a voltage of alternating polarity between the electrodes at a frequency ranging from 10 Mhz to about 3 GHz to establish the laser gas discharge, a coupling circuit which matches the steady state reactive impedance of the chamber to the impedance of the rf generator and couples the rf generator to the electrodes. The configuration of the electrodes, each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is in the shape of a continuous helix, includes a first electrode and a second electrode each of which is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of the chamber in a first plane. The configuration of electrodes also includes a third electrode and a fourth electrode each of which is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of the chamber in a second plane which is orthogonal to the first plane. The phase correlation of the configuration of electrodes is such that the first electrode is in phase with the second electrode, the third electrode is in phase with the fourth electrode and the first electrode is 180° out of phase with the third electrode.

Claims

1. A configuration of electrode means for use in a transversely excited gas laser which includes:

a. an elongated cylindrical chamber of cross-sectional dimensions suitable for confining a laser gas discharge;

b. a laser gas disposed in said chamber;

c. first and second reflecting means for reflecting light energy from said laser gas discharge within said chamber so that said light energy travels longitudinally the length of said chamber;

d. energy means for applying a voltage of alternating polarity between said electrode means at a frequency ranging from 10 Mhz to about 3 GHz to establish said laser gas discharge in said laser gas; and

e. coupling means for matching the steady state reactive impedance of said chamber to the impedance of said energy means and for coupling said energy means to said electrode means, said configuration of electrode means comprising;

a. a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in a first plane; and

b. a third electrode plate and a fourth electrode plate, each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in a second plane which is orthogonal to said first plane whereby the phase correlation of said improved configuration of electrode means is such that said first electrode plate is in phase with said second electrode plate, said third electrode plate is in phase with said fourth electrode plate and said first electrode plate has an opposite polarity than said third electrode plate.

2. A configuration of electrode means according to claim 1 wherein each said first, second, third and fourth electrode plates is in the shape of a continuous helix.

3. A configuration of electrode means according to claim 1 wherein each said first, second, third and fourth electrode plates is in the shape of a stepped helix and is formed by a plurality of longitudinaly disposed electrode plate elements.

4. A configuration of electrode means for use in a transversely excited gas laser which includes:

a. an elongated cylindrical chamber of cross-sectional dimensions suitable for confining a laser gas discharge;

b. a laser gas disposed in said chamber;

c. first and second reflecting means for reflecting light energy from said laser gas discharge within said chamber so that said light energy travels longitudinally the length of said chamber;

d. energy means for applying a voltage of alternating polarity between said electrode means at a frequency ranging from 10 Mhz to about 3 GHz to establish said laser gas discharge in said laser gas; and

e. coupling means for matching the steady state reactive impedance of said chamber to the impedance of said energy means and for coupling said energy means to said electrode means, said configuration of said electrode means comprising;

a. a first electrode plate which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in a first plane with the center of said chamber;

b. a second electrode plate which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed on the outer surface of said chamber in a second plane which is intersects said first plane at an angle of 120°

at the center of said chamber; and

c. a third electrode plate which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed on the outer surface of said chamber in a third plane which intersects said second plane at an angle of 120°

at the center of said chamber whereby the phase correlation of said configuration of electrode means is such that said first electrode plate is in 120°

out of phase with said second electrode plate and said second electrode plate has a different polarity than said third electrode plate.

5. A configuration of electrode means according to claim 4 wherein each said first, second, and third electrode plates is in the shape of a continuous helix.

6. A configuration of electrode means according to claim 4 wherein each said first, second, and third electrode plates is in the shape of a stepped helix and is formed by a plurality of longitudinaly disposed electrode plate elements.

7. An improved configuration of electrode means for use in a transversely excited gas laser which includes:

a. an elongated cylindrical chamber of cross-sectional dimensions suitable for confining a laser gas discharge;

b. a laser gas disposed in said chamber;

c. first and second reflecting means for reflecting light energy from said laser gas discharge within said chamber so that said light energy travels longitudinally the length of said chamber;

d. energy means for applying a voltage of alternating polarity between said electrode means at a frequency ranging from 10 Mhz to about 3 GHz to establish said laser gas discharge in said laser gas; and

e. coupling means for matching the steady state reactive impedance of said chamber to the impedance of said energy means and for coupling said energy means to said electrode means, said configuration of said electrode means comprising;

a. a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in a first plane which intersects the center of said chamber;

b. a third electrode plate and a fourth electrode plate, each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in a second plane which intersects said first plane at an angle of 60°

at the center of said chamber; and

c. a fifth electrode plate and a sixth electrode plate, each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in a third plane which intersects said second plane at an angle of 60°

at the center of said chamber whereby the phase correlation of said configuration of electrode means is such that said first, third, and fifth electrode plates are in phase with each other and said second, fourth and sixth electrode plates are in phase with each other and said first electrode plate has an opposite polarity than said second electrode plate.

8. A configuration of electrode means according to claim 7 wherein each said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth electrode plates is in the shape of a continuous helix.

9. A configuration of electrode means according to claim 7 wherein each said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth electrode plates is in the shape of a stepped helix and is formed by a plurality of longitudinaly disposed electrode elements.

10. An improved configuration of electrode means for use in a transversely excited gas laser which includes:

a. an elongated cylindrical chamber of cross-sectional dimensions suitable for confining a laser gas discharge;

b. a laser gas disposed in said chamber;

c. first and second reflecting means for reflecting light energy from said laser gas discharge within said chamber so that said light energy travels longitudinally the length of said chamber;

d. energy means for applying a voltage of alternating polarity between said electrode means at a frequency ranging from 10 Mhz to about 3 GHz to establish said laser gas discharge in said laser gas; and

e. coupling means for matching the steady state reactive impedance of said chamber to the impedance of said energy means and for coupling said energy means to said electrode means, said configuration of said electrode means comprising a first plurality, N, of electrode plates and a second plurality, N, of electrode plates each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed opposite to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in one of a plurality of planes which intersect the center of said chamber with each of said planes being disposed at angle of 360°

/2N to the adjacent planes whereby the phase correlation of said configuration of electrode means is such that said all of said first plurality of electrode plates are in phase with each other and all of said second plurality of electrode plates are in phase with each other and each of said first plurality of electrode plates has an opposite polarity than each of said second plurality of electrode plates.

11. A configuration of electrode means for use in a transversely excited gas laser which includes:

a. an elongated cylindrical chamber of cross-sectional dimensions suitable for confining a laser gas discharge;

b. a laser gas disposed in said chamber;

c. first and second reflecting means for reflecting light energy from said laser gas discharge within said chamber so that said light energy travels longitudinally the length of said chamber;

d. energy means for applying a voltage of alternating polarity between said electrode means at a frequency ranging from 10 Mhz to about 3 GHz to establish said laser gas discharge in said laser gas; and

e. coupling means for matching the steady state reactive impedance of said chamber to the impedance of said energy means and for coupling said energy means to said electrode means, said configuration of said electrode means comprising;

a. a plurality, N, of electrode plates each of which is formed from an electrically conductive material and is disposed to the other on the outer surface of said chamber in one of a plurality of planes which intersect the center of said chamber with each of said plane being disposed at angle of 360°

/N to the adjacent planes whereby the phase correlation of said configuration of electrode means is such that each of said plurality of electrode plates has an opposite polarity than each of the adjacent electrode plates.