Abstract: A system and method for performing real-time quality inspection of objects is disclosed. The system and method include a transport to move objects being inspected, allowing the inspection to be performed in-line. At least one optical acquisition unit is provided that captured optical images of the objects being inspected. The captured optical images are matched to CAD models of objects, and the matched CAD model is extracted. A laser with an illumination light beam has a wavelength in the violet or ultraviolet range then conducts scans of the objects, which are formed into three-dimensional point clouds. The point clouds are compared to the extracted CAD models for each object, where CTF are compared to user input or CAD model information and the object is determined to be acceptable or defective based on the extent of deviation between the point cloud and the CAD model.

Abstract: A polarisation and mode selection technique for a gas waveguide laser is described in which a surface of the waveguide is formed to be substantially dielectric with a localised metallic region therein. The metallic region provides linear polarisation while the dielectric surface provides for low order mode selection. Embodiments are described to channel and planar waveguides with various resonator configurations. Ranges are provided for the size and location of the metallic region on the waveguide surface.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium with optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. An external cavity includes a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces and a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam.

Abstract: A gas laser oscillation device of the present invention including a blower unit having a rotating part that rotates, which includes an impeller, a rotating shaft, a motor rotor and a portion of bearings that are brought into contact with the rotating shaft, and a non-rotating part that does not rotate, which includes a motor stator, a casing and a portion of the bearings that are brought into contact with the casing. Two bearings are disposed between the rotating part and the non-rotating part. A grease supply mechanism that supplies grease to each of the two bearings is provided. A control unit drives the blower unit at a rotation rate lower than a rotation rate when a laser is output, after grease is supplied from the grease supply mechanism to the two bearings.

Abstract: A pulsed light beam emitted from an optical source is received, the pulsed light beam being associated with a temporal repetition rate; a frequency of a disturbance in the optical source is determined, the frequency being an aliased frequency that varies with the temporal repetition rate of the pulsed light beam; a correction waveform is generated based on the aliased frequency; and the disturbance in the optical source is compensated by modifying a characteristic of the pulsed light beam based on the generated correction waveform.

Abstract: A gas laser includes a fan for producing a flow of a laser gas and a heat exchanger including multiple heat exchanger pipes. The heat exchanger further includes two end plates to which the multiple heat exchanger pipes are secured at the opposing ends thereof. The two end plates include openings for supplying a heat exchanger fluid to the multiple heat exchanger pipes. The multiple heat exchanger pipes extend substantially transversely relative to a flow direction of the flow of laser gas.

Abstract: Embodiments of an air-cooled gas laser with a heat transfer assembly are disclosed herein. A laser configured in accordance with one embodiment includes a laser superstructure and a laser superstructure having an opening and a cavity accessible through the opening, and an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly is configured to be received into the cavity, and includes a frame and an electrode biasedly coupled to the frame and electrically insulated therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of operation for a high power broad band elongated thin beam laser annealing light source, which may comprise a gas discharge seed laser oscillator having a resonance cavity, providing a seed laser output pulse; a gas discharge amplifier laser amplifying the seed laser output pulse to provide an amplified seed laser pulse output; a divergence correcting multi-optical element optical assembly intermediate the seed laser and the amplifier laser. The divergence correcting optical assembly may adjust the size and/or shape of the seed laser output pulse within a discharge region of the amplifier laser in order to adjust an output parameter of the amplified seed laser pulse output. The divergence correcting optical assembly may comprise a telescope with an adjustable focus. The adjustable telescope may comprise an active feedback-controlled actuator based upon a sensed parameter of the amplified seed laser output from the amplifier laser.

Abstract: A gas includes a housing having a symmetrical arrangement of upper and lower cooling members for removing heat generated in a gas-discharge excited by an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly is clamped between the cooling members and is itself essentially symmetrically arranged. The cooling members and the electrode assembly are mechanically isolated in the housing by a surrounding diaphragm-like arrangement that connects the cooling members to side-walls of the housing. An RF power-supply for supplying the electrode assembly is mounted on one of the sidewalls to avoid disturbing the symmetry of the cooling and electrode arrangements.

Abstract: A blower apparatus includes a blower casing; an elastic member for mounting a mounting portion that projects on an outer circumferential portion of the blower casing, to a blower support member disposed on the inlet side of the mounting portion; and a flange portion provided on the inlet side of the mounting portion. At least three elastic members are disposed in the same plane that is almost orthogonal to a rotation shaft, and adhesion surfaces are provided on both ends, in the rotation shaft direction, of each elastic member. The mounting portion is fixed to one of the adhesion surfaces, and the blower support member is fixed to the other of the adhesion surfaces. The flange portion is provided so as to oppose the blower support member through a gap having a thickness less than a thickness, in the rotation shaft direction, of the elastic member.

Abstract: A gas laser oscillator, including a power supply part supplying a discharge tube voltage corresponding to a power output command to a discharge tube so as to start a discharge in the discharge tube; a voltage detecting part detecting the discharge tube voltage; a current detecting part detecting an output current of the power supply part; a command voltage control part gradually increasing a power output command value output from the output command part; and a discharge start judgment part judging if the discharge in the discharge tube has started, based on a detected value of the voltage detecting part when gradually increasing the power output command value. The command voltage control part, if the output current becomes a predetermined threshold value or more when gradually increasing the power output command value, decreases the power output command value once, then again gradually increases the power output command value.

Abstract: A slab laser includes first and second slabs defining an ionizing chamber intermediate the first slab and the second slab. A Radio Frequency Power Amplifier (RFPA) generates pulses to the ionizing chamber. The laser has a viewing window with access to the ionizing chamber and an optical sensor mounted to access the ionizing chamber through the viewing window. A controller is in communication with the optical sensor, and varies RFPA pulse power in response to the detection of glowing plasma by the optical sensor.

Abstract: In a slab laser, a gas mixture containing carbon dioxide CO2 is formed as a laser-active medium in a discharge space which is formed between two plate-shaped metal electrodes, the flat faces of which are located opposite one another. A resonator mirror is arranged on each of the mutually opposite end faces of the discharge space, the mirrors forming an unstable resonator parallel to the flat faces. At least one of the mutually facing flat faces is provided either on the entire flat face with a dielectric layer the thickness of which is greater on at least one sub-surface than in the remaining area of the flat face, or the at least one flat face is provided with a dielectric layer exclusively on at least one sub-surface.

Abstract: An amplifier may include a plurality of discharge tubes arranged in a designed path of a seed laser beam and an optical system arranged to steer the seed laser beam to travel along the designed path.

Abstract: A regenerative ring resonator in the path of a light beam includes a discharge chamber having electrodes and a gain medium between the electrodes; an optical coupler that is partially reflective so that at least a portion of a light beam impinging on the optical coupler from the discharge chamber is reflected back through the discharge chamber and at least a portion of the light beam impinging on the optical coupler from the discharge chamber is transmitted through the optical coupler; and an attenuation optical system in the path of the light beam within the resonator, the attenuation optical system having a plurality of distinct attenuation states, with each attenuation state defining a distinct attenuation factor applied to the light beam to provide adjustment of an energy of the light beam.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a high repetition rate gas discharge laser system. The system includes a gas discharge chamber having a hot chamber output window heated by the operation of the gas discharge laser chamber, an output laser light pulse beam path enclosure downstream of the hot chamber window and comprising an ambient temperature window, a cooling mechanism cooling the beam path enclosure intermediate the output window and the ambient window. The gas discharge chamber can include a longitudinally and axially compliant ground rod, including a first end connected to a first chamber wall, a second end connected to a second chamber wall, the second chamber wall opposite the first chamber wall and a first portion formed into a helical spring, the ground rod providing mechanical support for a preionizer tube.

Abstract: A gas-discharge waveguide CO2 laser has a Z-shaped folded waveguide formed by three ceramic tubes. Ends of the adjacent tubes are shaped and fitted together to form a common aperture. The tubes are held fitted together by spaced-apart parallel discharge electrodes. Four minors are arranged to form a laser-resonator having a longitudinal axis extending through the tubes.

Abstract: An RF power-supply for driving a carbon dioxide CO2 gas-discharge laser includes a plurality of power-oscillators phase-locked to a common reference oscillator. Outputs of the phase-locked power-oscillators are combined by a power combiner for delivery, via an impedance matching network, to discharge-electrodes of the laser. In one example the powers are analog power-oscillators. In another example, the power-oscillators are digital power-oscillators.

Abstract: A laser device, which includes an oscillator unit having a rectangular-solid-shaped housing containing a laser oscillator for generating and outputting a laser light; an amplifier unit having a rectangular-solid-shaped housing containing an amplifier that receives and amplifies the laser light to output; and, a group of optical elements including optical elements provided on a laser light path, wherein the laser device includes one or more amplifier units, and the oscillator and the amplifier units are arranged such that surfaces having a wide area other than a surface having a smallest area of a housing of the oscillator unit and a housing of at least one amplifier unit are next to and face each other, or such that surfaces having a wide area other than a surface having a smallest area of a housing of at least two amplifier units are next to and face each other.

Abstract: The gas laser oscillator apparatus of the present invention has laser gas sealed in a vacuum chamber under a decompressed condition lower than atmospheric pressure; a discharge means for exciting the laser gas; a blower means for blowing the laser gas; a laser-gas flow passage as a circulation passage of the laser gas between the discharge means and the blower means; and a gas compression means for discharging a predetermined amount of the laser gas from the laser-gas flow passage. The gas decompression means is structured on the application of Bernoulli's principle. The gas decompression means has a sequence for decreasing the ratio of air mixed into the laser gas below a predetermined level with use of a part of pressurized gas used in a laser processing machine or the gas laser oscillator apparatus.

Abstract: A thin beam laser crystallization apparatus for selectively melting a film deposited on a substrate is disclosed having a laser source producing a pulsed laser output beam, the source having an oscillator comprising a convex reflector and a piano output coupler; and an optical arrangement focusing the beam in a first axis and spatially expanding the beam in a second axis to produce a line beam for interaction with the film.

Abstract: An AC, rf, or pulse-excited microdischarge device and array are provide by the invention. A preferred array includes a substrate. A plurality of microdischarge cavities that contain discharge medium are in the substrate. A transparent layer seals the discharge medium in the microdischarge cavites. Electrodes stimulate the discharge medium. The microdischarge cavities are physically isolated from the electrodes by dielectric and arranged relative to the electrodes such that ac, rf, or pulsed excitation applied to the electrodes stimulates plasma excitation of the discharge medium. The microdischarge cavities are sized to produce plasma within the microdischarge cavities.

Abstract: A gas laser oscillator, including a power supply part supplying a discharge tube voltage corresponding to a power output command to a discharge tube so as to start a discharge in the discharge tube; a voltage detecting part detecting the discharge tube voltage; a current detecting part detecting an output current of the power supply part; a command voltage control part gradually increasing a power output command value output from the output command part; and a discharge start judgment part judging if the discharge in the discharge tube has started, based on a detected value of the voltage detecting part when gradually increasing the power output command value. The command voltage control part, if the output current becomes a predetermined threshold value or more when gradually increasing the power output command value, decreases the power output command value once, then again gradually increases the power output command value.

Abstract: A gas-discharge waveguide CO2 laser has a Z-shaped folded waveguide formed by three ceramic tubes. Ends of the adjacent tubes are shaped and fitted together to form a common aperture. The tubes are held fitted together by spaced-apart parallel discharge electrodes. Four mirrors are arranged to form a laser-resonator having a longitudinal axis extending through the tubes.

Abstract: A gas discharge chamber that uses a calcium fluoride crystal which reduces a breakage due to mechanical stress (window holder and laser gas pressure), thermal stress from light absorption, and the like, increases the degree of linear polarization of output laser, and suppresses degradation due to strong ultraviolet (ArF, in particular) laser light irradiation. A first window (2) and a second window (3) of the gas discharge chamber have an incident plane and an emitting plane in parallel with a (111) crystal plane of their calcium fluoride crystal. With respect to an arrangement where laser light entering the calcium fluoride crystal passes through a plane including a <111> axis and a <001> axis of each of the first window (2) and the second window (3) as seen from inside the chamber (1), the first window (2) and the second window (3) are arranged in positions rotated in the same direction by the same angle about their <111> axis.

Abstract: A laser gyro for measuring the angular velocity or the angular position relative to a defined rotation axis includes: an optical ring cavity; a solid-state amplifying medium; and a non-reciprocal magneto-optic device; which are arranged so that four linearly polarized propagation modes can propagate within the cavity, the magneto-optic device introducing a frequency bias between the modes propagating in a first direction and the modes propagating in the opposite direction. In the device, the cavity also includes a stabilizer device for stabilizing the intensity of the four propagation modes at substantially equivalent levels, said device comprising at least one optical element made of a non-linear crystal of the frequency-doubling type.

Abstract: An attenuation optical system is in a beam path of a light beam traveling through a regenerative ring resonator. The attenuation optical system includes an actuator configured to receive an electromagnetic signal; and a plate mounted to the actuator to be moveable between a plurality of positions, with each position placing an attenuation region in the beam path such that the beam profile is covered by the attenuation region and each attenuation region representing an attenuation factor applied to the light beam as determined by a geometry of the attenuation region. At least one attenuation region includes a plurality of evenly-spaced elongated openings between solid energy-reflecting surfaces and at least one attenuation region includes an open area that is larger than the beam profile of the light beam.

Abstract: A laser beam amplifier with high optical axis stability is provided. The laser beam amplifier includes: a container for accommodating a laser medium; a pair of electrodes for performing discharge in the laser medium to form an amplification region for a laser beam in the laser medium; and an optical system for forming an optical path between a first point, upon which the laser beam is incident, and a second point, from which the laser beam is outputted, such that the amplification region is located in the optical path between the first point and the second point, wherein the first point and the second point are conjugate to each other, and the laser beam incident upon the first point is amplified while passing through the amplification region at least twice and then transferred to the second point.

Abstract: A command apparatus (10) for a plurality of laser power supplies (11, 12) comprises: a command generating section (5) generating commands for the laser power supplies; and a separating section (36) separating the generated commands into a bias command, an output command, an offset command and a gain command, wherein the bias command and the output command are common to the laser power supplies, the offset command and the gain command are defined at least in accordance with the discharge tubes corresponding to the laser power supplies respectively, wherein the command apparatus further comprises a transmitting section (37) transmitting, to the laser power supplies, the bias and the output command which are common to the laser power supplies and, transmitting the offset and the gain command defined at least in accordance with the discharge tubes corresponding to the laser power supplies respectively, corresponding to the laser power supplies.

Abstract: A laser device is provided. The laser device includes a laser tube, and power devices distributed uniformly along the length of the laser tube.

Abstract: The invention provides microchannel lasers having a microplasma gain medium. Lasers of the invention can be formed in semiconductor materials, and can also be formed in polymer materials. In a microlaser of the invention, high density plasmas are produced in microchannels. The microplasma acts as a gain medium with the electrodes sustaining the plasma in the microchannel. Reflectors are used with the microchannel for obtaining optical feedback to obtain lasing in the microplasma gain medium in devices of the invention for a wide range of atomic and molecular species. Several atomic and molecular gain media will produce sufficiently high gain coefficients that reflectors (mirrors) are not necessary. Microlasers of the invention are based on microplasma generation in channels of various geometries. Preferred embodiment microlaser designs can be fabricated in semiconductor materials, such as Si wafers, by standard photolithographic techniques, or in polymers by replica molding.

Abstract: In a stripline laser, a gas mixture containing carbon dioxide is situated as a laser-active medium between two plate-type electrodes lying with their flat sides opposite one another. The electrodes define a discharge space, at whose end sides lying opposite one another a resonator mirror is respectively arranged. The resonator mirrors form an unstable resonator. To operate the stripline laser in the 9.3 ?m band and/or in the 9.6 ?m band, the electrodes are provided with a passivation layer on their flat sides. The passivation layer, of at least one electrode, contains silicon dioxide in a region covering a partial area of a flat side. A distance between the electrodes is set such that the attenuation of laser beams in the 10.3 ?m band and in the 10.6 ?m band is greater than the attenuation of laser beams in the 9.3 ?m band and/or in the 9.6 ?m band.

Abstract: A laser may comprise a ceramic body defining a chamber therein containing a laser gas. The ceramic body may include a plurality of parallel walls that partially define a first section of the chamber, the first section of the chamber defining a waveguide. The ceramic body may further include a plurality of oblique walls that partially define a second section of the chamber, the second section of the chamber being shaped to modify a transverse profile of a laser beam traveling through the second section of the chamber. The laser may further comprise a plurality of electrodes positioned outside the ceramic body and adjacent to the plurality of parallel walls such that only laser gas within the first section of the chamber is excited when an excitation signal is applied to the plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: A carbon-dioxide (CO2) gas-discharge slab laser includes elongated discharge-electrodes in a sealed enclosure. Radio Frequency (RF) power is supplied to the electrodes via an impedance matching network and a co-axial electrical low inductance transmission line feed-through sealed to the enclosure. The feed-trough includes two spring contacts which are configured to be spring compression push-fit in grooves in edges of the discharge-electrodes. A central conductor of the feed-through is fluid cooled. A capacitor of the impedance matching network is assembled on the central conductor as an integral part of the feed-trough.

Abstract: A laser device is provided. The laser device includes a laser tube, and power devices distributed uniformly along the length of the laser tube.

Abstract: A carbon-dioxide (CO2) gas-discharge slab laser includes elongated discharge-electrodes in a sealed enclosure. Radio Frequency (RF) power is supplied to the electrodes via an impedance matching network and a co-axial electrical low inductance transmission line feed-through sealed to the enclosure. The feed-trough includes two spring contacts which are configured to be spring compression push-fit in grooves in edges of the discharge-electrodes. A central conductor of the feed-through is fluid cooled. A capacitor of the impedance matching network is assembled on the central conductor as an integral part of the feed-trough.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for operating a laser output light beam pulse line narrowing mechanism that may comprise a nominal center wavelength and bandwidth selection optic; a static wavefront compensation mechanism shaping the curvature of the selection optic; an active wavefront compensation mechanism shaping the curvature of the selection optic and operating independently of the static wavefront compensation mechanism. The method and apparatus may comprise the nominal center wavelength and bandwidth selection optic comprises a grating; the static wavefront compensation mechanism applies a pre-selected bending moment to the grating; the active wavefront compensation mechanism applies a separate selected bending moment to the grating responsive to the control of a bending moment controller based on bandwidth feedback from a bandwidth monitor monitoring the bandwidth of the laser output light beam pulses. The active wavefront compensation mechanism may comprise a pneumatic drive mechanism.

Abstract: Multiple independent electrode sets of a CO2 gas laser are arranged in series within a single optical resonator with each electrode set energized by an independent power source. The total length of the electrode sets together and their maximum power are optimized for output energy at the weakest laser wavelength, and one or several of the independent electrode sets is turned off and/or their power reduced to achieve laser output on strong lines without damage to the laser optics. The total resonator length is chosen to produce an output laser beam with single transverse mode.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a high repetition rate gas discharge laser system. The system includes a gas discharge chamber having a hot chamber output window heated by the operation of the gas discharge laser chamber, an output laser light pulse beam path enclosure downstream of the hot chamber window and comprising an ambient temperature window, a cooling mechanism cooling the beam path enclosure intermediate the output window and the ambient window. The gas discharge chamber can include a longitudinally and axially compliant ground rod, including a first end connected to a first chamber wall, a second end connected to a second chamber wall, the second chamber wall opposite the first chamber wall and a first portion formed into a helical spring, the ground rod providing mechanical support for a preionizer tube.

Abstract: An apparatus/method may comprise a line narrowed pulsed lithography laser light source which may comprise: a seed pulse providing laser system which may comprise: a first pulsed seed laser producing seed pulses at a rate of X kHz; a second pulsed seed laser producing seed pulses at a rate of X kHz; an amplification system which may comprise: a first amplifier gain system which may comprise a first and a second pulsed gas discharge amplifier gain medium, each with a nominal center wavelength in the UV range, and each operating at ½X kHz on output pulses from the first seed laser; a second amplifier gain system which may comprise a first and a second pulsed amplifier gain medium, each with a nominal center wavelength in the UV range, and each operating at ½X kHz on output pulses from the second seed laser.

Abstract: A gas laser oscillator includes a plurality of discharge tube arrays, each discharge tube array including a plurality of electrical discharge tubes, a support mechanism supporting the plurality of discharge tube arrays, and an optical part optically connecting the plurality of discharge tube arrays. The support mechanism includes a discharge tube linking holder and an elastic member. The elastic member joins the discharge tube linking holder to a first support rod arranged at an upper side as seen in a direction of gravity.

Abstract: A laser includes a regenerative ring resonator that includes a discharge chamber having electrodes and a gain medium between the electrodes for producing a laser beam; a partially-reflective optical coupler, and a beam modification optical system in the path of the laser beam. The beam modification optical system transversely expands a profile of the laser beam such that the near field laser beam profile uniformly fills each aperture within the laser and such that the regenerative ring resonator remains either conditionally stable or marginally unstable when operating the laser at powers that induce thermal lenses in optical elements inside the regenerative ring resonator.

Abstract: A mode selection technique in a laser is described wherein a recess is formed in a surface of a waveguide in the laser. The recess provides a region of free space propagation within the waveguide which preferentially selects the lowest order mode. A mode selective RF excited CO2 slab laser, having a stable resonator in the waveguide dimension and a negative branch unstable resonator in the non-waveguide dimension, is constructed and the position and size of the recess is considered to provide low order mode selection.

Abstract: The proposed gas discharge laser comprises extended solid main discharge electrodes, at each of which at least one ultraviolet pre-ionizer is placed, a gas flow area being formed by means of dielectric gas flow guides and the work surfaces of main electrodes and the pre-ionizers being placed outside of the gas flow area for illuminating a space between the main discharge electrodes through a gap defined between the main electrodes and dielectric guides. The proposed invention makes it possible to design a gas discharge laser for a high pulse repetition frequency mode with high-quality laser radiation.

Abstract: A gas discharge chamber that uses a calcium fluoride crystal which reduces a breakage due to mechanical stress (window holder and laser gas pressure), thermal stress from light absorption, and the like, increases the degree of linear polarization of output laser, and suppresses degradation due to strong ultraviolet (ArF, in particular) laser light irradiation. A first window (2) and a second window (3) of the gas discharge chamber have an incident plane and an emitting plane in parallel with a (111) crystal plane of their calcium fluoride crystal. With respect to an arrangement where laser light entering the calcium fluoride crystal passes through a plane including a <111> axis and a <001> axis of each of the first window (2) and the second window (3) as seen from inside the chamber (1), the first window (2) and the second window (3) are arranged in positions rotated in the same direction by the same angle about their <111> axis.

Abstract: An RF excited gas discharge laser is disclosed including a housing holding the lasing gas. An electrode assembly is mounted within the housing. The electrode assembly includes a pair of elongated planar electrodes mounted in face to face relationship with a narrow gap therebetween. A pair of planar dielectric plates are positioned along the side edges of the gap to seal the discharge region. The plates extend part of the way into the gap from both sides edges of the electrodes. The inner surfaces of the electrodes are provided with an opposed trench in the region surrounding the inner edges of the plates. In this way, the exposure of the inner edges of the plates to the discharge is minimized improving performance.

Abstract: A method/apparatus may comprise a laser light source which may comprise a solid state seed laser system producing a seed laser output having a nominal center wavelength at a pulse repetition rate; a first and a second gas discharge laser amplifier gain medium each operating at a pulse repetition rate less than that of the seed laser system; a beam divider providing each of the respective first and second amplifier gain mediums with seed laser output pulses; a frequency converter modifying the nominal center wavelength of the output of the seed laser to essentially the nominal center wavelength of the amplifier gain medium; a beam combiner combining the outputs of the respective amplifier gain mediums to provide a light source output having the pulse repetition rate of the seed laser; a coherence buster operating on either or both of the output of the seed laser or amplifier gain mediums.

Abstract: An RF-excited waveguide laser module comprises a first electrode having a first elongate surface defining in part a waveguide laser channel extending along an optical axis, the first elongate surface having a substantially linear cross-section normal to the optical axis. A second electrode has a second elongate surface defining in part the waveguide laser channel extending along the optical axis. The second elongate surface has a non-linear cross-section normal to the optical axis. A dielectric insert may be provided between the electrodes defining in part the waveguide laser channel. A lengthwise gap may extend essentially an entire length of the waveguide laser channel between one of the first and second electrodes and the dielectric insert. The gap provides fluid communication between the waveguide laser channel and a volume outside the waveguide laser channel.

Abstract: A CO2 gas discharge laser includes elongated planar live and ground electrodes vertically spaced and electrically insulated from each. The electrodes are spaced apart by ceramic spacer strips arranged along the edges of the electrodes. An auxiliary electrode is located at each end of the live electrode, co-planar with the live electrode, longitudinally spaced part from the live electrode vertically spaced apart from, but electrically connected to, the ground electrode. The auxiliary electrode has two raised portions spaced apart by a distance less than the distance between inside edges of the ceramic strips. The raised portions of the auxiliary electrode prevent erosion of the ceramic strips by laser radiation generated in the resonator when the laser is operating.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas slab laser comprising a gas-filled chamber limited by a housing (1, 2, 3). The laser is provided with at least two high-frequency excited electrodes (5, 6) that extend into the housing and overlap. The electrodes define a discharge chamber (14). The laser is additionally provided with resonator mirrors (12, 13). In order to adjust the laser, the spatial arrangement of the electrodes and the resonator mirrors is optimized. Adjustment is carried out by applying a force (F) in the housing so that the spatial arrangement of the resonator mirrors is optimized as a result of the bending of the housing caused by the application of force. Deformation of the housing can occur plastically or elastically by maintaining the deforming forces.