Abstract: A lateral excitation type gas laser device having a small size and high output. An anode and a cathode are arranged opposite one another with a flow of laser gas therebetween. A high DC voltage is applied between the anode and cathode to cause a glow discharge therebetween. A dielectric electrode is disposed in the flow of laser gas upstream of the anode and cathode, and a high frequency high voltage is applied between the dielectric electrode on one hand and the anode and cathode on the other for causing a silent discharge therebetween. The dielectric electrode has a diameter of 3 mm<D<d/2, where D is the diameter of the dielectric electrode and d is the length of the gap between the anode and cathode. The dielectric electrode is disposed in a region defined by 0.ltorsim.l.sub.1 .ltorsim.2d and 0.ltorsim.l.sub.2 .ltorsim.d, where l.sub.1 is the distance in the direction of the laser gas flow between the dielectric electrode and the cathode and l.sub.

Abstract: A gas laser apparatus having an anode and a cathode for imparting a glow discharge to a stream of laser gas in response to a high d.c. voltage, also includes a dielectric electrode positioned within said stream of laser gas between the anode and cathode for exciting a pulsed silent discharge of the laser gas in response to an a.c. high voltage power source that supplies a pulsed high a.c. voltage to said dielectric electrode. A pulsed large-current glow discharge is produced between the anode and cathode to thereby emit a large, pulsed laser output. The apparatus may also include controls for controlling the power of the silent discharge excited by the dielectric electrode to thereby control the laser output.

Abstract: A high pressure transverse excitation type laser oscillator comprises a plane anode and a plurality of rod type cathodes to form glow discharge. Each cathode is covered with a cylindrical insulator having heat resistance except for a small discharge surface whereby the shift of the glow discharge caused by varying the pressure or the discharge current can be prevented to thus obtain stable glow discharge.

Abstract: An electrical discharge occurs between the anode and the cathode and the active gas such as CO.sub.2 between the two electrodes is excited to provide a laser beam. The laser beam thus provided is reflected repeatedly by a pair of reflection mirrors. The reflected laser beam is amplified while passing through the space where the discharge occurs, thus providing the function of a gas laser oscillator. Although the amplification that occurs in the discharge zone between the electrodes, considerable laser beam absorption takes place in the space between the reflection mirrors and the electrodes. In this space, the amount of operating gas such as CO.sub.2 is reduced, or the space is evacuated. Alternatively, the space is cooled by causing the gas therein to flow. A reduction in so-called laser beam absorption function is provided.