Abstract: An unstable resonator is disclosed that couples power out of an annular gain region in a single transverse mode through the use of spherical mirrors. A four-element cavity comprising a confocal unstable resonator with a double-sided 45.degree. output coupling mirror in conjunction with a flat feedback mirror is used. A flat, totally reflecting feedback mirror is placed on the normally plane wave output side of the confocal cavity, forming an annular mode between the feedback mirror and the coupling mirror. A plane annular wave is fed back into the resonator, which alternately converges and diverges to produce an output beam in the form of a diverging annular beam. The converging wave unstable cavity has the novel property whereby increasing geometric magnification corresponds to increasing saturation of the active medium, in contrast to a conventional edge-coupled unstable cavity.