Abstract: A laser energy excitation and delivery device which includes a coaxial system of tubes having an annular space therebetween. A lasing or pumping gas is provided in the annular space and subjected to radio frequency discharge which results in the generation of laser radiation. The resulting laser radiation is propagated through and delivered from a section of the device which includes an extension of the innermost tube or an extension of each of the tubes. One embodiment of the device includes a central passageway though which various materials, including a guide wire, can pass. The device has particular utility for medical and surgical procedures.

Abstract: The optical mirror incorporates a lightguide (20) produced on a surface (23) of a substrate (22) and used for the propagation of a light beam (36) in a direction parallel to said surface, a cavity (30) made in the lightguide (20) and having in the propagation direction a first (32) and a second (34) walls oriented perpendicular to said direction and having in section approximately the shape of a circular arc, the distance (L) separating the two walls being equal to the radius of curvature (R) of the second wall at the optical axis (37) of the mirror and a reflecting material layer (38) deposited solely on the second wall in order to reflect the light beam towards the first wall, the second wall forming a concave reflecting surface.

Abstract: A CO.sub.2 slab waveguide laser (10) is disclosed including a pair of spaced apart electrodes (36,38) having opposed light reflecting surfaces. The electrodes are dimensioned in a manner to guide light in a plane perpendicular to the reflecting surfaces. Light parallel to the reflecting surfaces is not constrained other than by the resonator mirrors (30,32). The resonator structure includes a negative branch unstable resonator in the nonwaveguide dimension. A stable resonator is used in the waveguide dimension but the mirror spacing from the end of the guide is based in part on the configuration of the unstable resonator. A unique support structure is disclosed for maintaining the electrodes in a spaced apart orientation without confining the discharge. Further refinements are disclosed for cooling the laser and for accommodating thermal expansion of the parts.

Abstract: A stripline laser includes a housing having two sides. An exit window is disposed at one of the sides for a laser beam traveling in a given direction. Two metal electrodes are mutually spaced apart defining a discharge gap therebetween. At least two mutually parallel bars having very low coefficients of temperature expansion retain two resonator mirrors at a precisely fixed mutual spacing. The electrodes are rigidly joined to the housing and to the bars in the given direction at only one location in a reference plane. The electrodes are secured at another location against motions relative to the housing running perpendicular to the discharge gap. A holder adjustably fastens an inclination of at least one of the mirrors relative to the discharge gap. The bars fix an axial position and an angular position of the at least one adjustable mirror relative to the reference plane. The reference plane is disposed at least approximately midway between the mirrors.

Abstract: A waveguide laser having a pair of electrodes mounted opposite one another in the gas discharge space is provided with a spacer extending between the two electrodes. The spacer prevents movement of the electrodes from a mutually parallel position which may otherwise occur due to mechanical stresses in the laser. Beam quality is thereby maintained. The spacer has only a limited extent in the direction transverse to beam travel and/or is of a material transmissive to laser light to prevent detrimental effects on the laser. The spacer is particularly useful in CO.sub.2 lasers, such as pulsed lasers.

Abstract: A gas laser of the excimer type in which an open waveguide is employed, in which the excimer medium is moved to and through the open waveguide in a direction transverse to the optical axis. A discharge cell is defined by the upper and lower slabs of the open waveguide, and if desired, a microwave source is provided which supplies microwave energy to the discharge cell volume to excite the excimer medium and to initiate discharge.

Abstract: A second-harmonic generating device includes a laser diode for providing light of a fundamental wave, having end-facets at least one being an antireflection coated end-facet. An optical reflector forms an external resonator with one of the end-facets of the laser diode whereby a portion of the light from the laser diode is returned by the reflector to the laser diode. A second-harmonic generation element is disposed between the laser diode and the optical reflector, for producing a second-harmonic of the fundamental wave while the fundamental wave propagates in the second-harmonic generation element. In this way, the optical reflector determines the wavelength of the light of the fundamental wave so that the laser diode produces light with a wavelength satisfying a phase matching condition of the second-harmonic generation element.

Abstract: Slab or stripline gas laser. A slab or stripline gas laser that contains two laser mirrors (4, 5) has a single construction that is extremely mode-stable. The gas laser has a first electrode (1) that carries laser mirrors (4, 5) and that is connected to the laser mirrors (4, 5) in a fixed angular position, and a second electrode (13) that is mechanically fixed relative to the first electrode but is positioned such that it does not contact the laser mirrors (4, 5). The laser structure can be used in CO.sub.2 waveguide lasers.

Abstract: A gas laser is designed with the following features: The laser is a slab laser, in which a plasma space (5) of a limited height is formed for the laser-active plasma between mutually opposing surfaces (11, 21) of two wall parts (10, 20); the wall parts (10, 20) are components of a coupling chamber with at least one coupling wall (30), which is connected to at least one distribution chamber (40,), whereby by injecting the high-frequency energy through the coupling wall (30), the gas plasma is activated in the desired manner over its entire length. The high-frequency energy for exciting the plasma lies in the gigahertz range, for which a magnetron is used, for example.

Abstract: In order to improve a high-frequency excited high-power laser comprising two resonator mirrors arranged opposite one another, a gas discharge chamber, a waveguide having two reflecting waveguide surfaces located opposite one another and facing the gas discharge chamber and a beam path having an initial wave bundle, which expands with spatial coherence as a wave bundle system due to multiple back and forth reflection in a transverse direction between the waveguide surfaces, such that the expansion of the wave bundle system with spatial coherence in the transverse direction at right angles to the initial direction can be achieved by other means, it is suggested that the tangents at two first waveguide surface regions reflecting the initial wave bundle, these tangents extending at right angles to the initial direction, extend parallel to one another and that a distance between second waveguide surface regions following the first waveguide surface regions which reflect the initial wave bundle become steadily larg

Abstract: A CO.sub.2 slab laser is disclosed having a pair of spaced apart electrodes defining a rectangular discharge region. RF energy is fed through the electrodes to excite the CO.sub.2 gas. A pair of mirrors are located adjacent the electrodes to define the resonant cavity. A recombinant surface is placed between the ends of the electrodes and the mirrors to quench oxidizing species generated by the discharge before they reach the mirrors. In this manner, the degradation of the mirrors is reduced so that the high power performance of the laser can be maintained. The recombinant surfaces can be defined by forming extension regions at the end of the electrodes between which the discharge is minimized. Alternatively, a mirror shield having a beam transmitting aperture can be used to quench the oxidizing species.

Abstract: A method and device for generating a collimated laser beam which is circular in cross-section, non-astigmatic, diffraction-limited and has a gaussian energy distribution are disclosed. The device comprises a single mode optical waveguide having an input end and an output end, a laser diode optically coupled to the input end of the optical waveguide for producing at the output end thereof a laser beam which is circular in cross-section, non-astigmatic and diffraction-limited and has a gaussian energy distribution, and a collimating lens for collimating the laser beam. The collimating lens is disposed in spaced relationship to the output end of the optical waveguide such that the output end is positioned at the focal point of the collimating lens.

Abstract: An in-phase coupled strip linear CO.sub.2 waveguide laser includes an upper aluminum plate and an aluminum waveguide bed including parallel ridges, each in the range of about 2 to about 5 mm wide, at a gap of about 0.5 to 2 mm from the upper plate. The slots are about 2 mm deep to prevent discharge therein and about 1 mm wide. The width of the slots is selected to permit coupling between the discharge channels formed between each ridge and the upper plate while separating the discharge beams in each channel. Discharge in each channel is in-phase coupled in the fundamental mode to produce a single lobe far field with a simple Fabry-Perot resonator.

Abstract: An electric discharge tube for a gas laser in which a laser gas flow axis and a laser oscillation optical axis are coaxial and a discharge direction of discharge pumping is perpendicular to those axes. The internal sectional form of a discharge tube (1) perpendicular to the laser oscillation optical axis is made rectangular and the internal diameter of nondischarge sections (10a, 10b) is made larger than the diagonal line of the discharge tube (1). The section of laser beams generated in a rectangular discharge region (11) becomes substantially rectangular in shape and the laser beams are externally output intact, whereby a substantially rectangular beam mode is obtained.

Abstract: A CO.sub.2 slab waveguide laser (10) is disclosed including a pair of spaced apart electrodes (36,38) having opposed light reflecting surfaces. The electrodes are dimensioned in a manner to guide light in a plane perpendicular to the reflecting surfaces. Light parallel to the reflecting surfaces is not constrained other than by the resonator mirrors (30,32). The resonator structure includes a negative branch unstable resonator in the nonwaveguide dimension. A stable resonator is used in the waveguide dimension but the mirror spacing from the end of the guide is based in part on the configuration of the unstable resonator. A unique support structure is disclosed for maintaining the electrodes in a spaced apart orientation without confining the discharge. Further refinements are disclosed for cooling the laser and for accommodating thermal expansion of the parts.

Abstract: A CO.sub.2 slab waveguide laser (10) is disclosed including a pair of spaced apart electrodes (36,38) having opposed light reflecting surfaces. The electrodes are dimensioned in a manner to guide light in a plane perpendicular to the reflecting surfaces. Light parallel to the reflecting surfaces is not constrained other than by the resonator mirrors (30,32). The resonator structure includes a negative branch unstable resonator in the nonwaveguide dimension. A stable resonator is used in the waveguide dimension but the mirror spacing from the end of the guide is based in part on the configuration of the unstable resonator. A unique support structure is disclosed for maintaining the electrodes in a spaced apart orientation without confining the discharge. Further refinements are disclosed for cooling the laser and for accommodating thermal expansion of the parts.

Abstract: A CO.sub.2 slab waveguide laser (10) is disclosed including a pair of spaced apart electrodes (36,38) having opposed light reflecting surfaces. The electrodes are dimensioned in a manner to guide light in a plane perpendicular to the reflecting surfaces. Light parallel to the reflecting surfaces is not constrained other than by the resonator mirrors (30,32). The resonator structure includes a negative branch unstable resonator in the nonwaveguide dimension. A stable resonator is used in the waveguide dimension but the mirror spacing from the end of the guide is based in part on the configuration of the unstable resonator. A unique support structure is disclosed for maintaining the electrodes in a spaced apart orientation without confining the discharge. Further refinements are disclosed for cooling the laser and for accommodating thermal expansion of the parts. An improved adjustable mirror assembly (26, 28) is provided which allows the tilt angle of the mirror to be varied from outside of the housing.

Abstract: A CO.sub.2 slab waveguide laser (10) disclosed including a pair of spaced apart electrodes (36,38) having exposed light reflecting surfaces. The electrodes are dimensioned in a manner to guide light in a plane perpendicular to the reflecting surfaces. Light parallel to the reflecting surfaces is not constrained other than by the resonator mirrors (30,32). The resonator structure includes a negative branch unstable resonator in the nonwaveguide dimension. A stable resonator is used in the waveguide dimension but the mirror spacing from the end of the guide is based in part on the configuration of the unstable resonator. A unique support structure is disclosed for maintaining the electrodes in a spaced apart orientation without confining the discharge. Further refinements are disclosed for cooling the laser and for accommodating thermal expansion of the parts. Finally, an improved adjustable mirror assembly (26, 28) is provided which allows the tilt angle of the mirror to be varied from outside of the housing.

Abstract: In order to so improve a high-frequency-excited, diffusion-cooled waveguide laser comprising a folded, unstable laser resonator with a first resonator axis branch and a second resonator axis branch, a folded, optical waveguide with a first waveguide branch and a second waveguide branch penetrated by the first and the second resonator axis branch, respectively, in their longitudinal direction, and each having two spaced, optical waveguide surfaces, and at least one reflection element with a reflection surface coupling the waveguide branches with one another, that as low reflection losses as possible occur with the folding and that the laser is as compact as possible, it is proposed that the two waveguide branches be coupled with one another at a first end by a single, first reflection surface, each with single beam reflection thereat, in that the two resonator axis branches intersect at their point of impact on the first reflection surface and that the two waveguide branches be curved in the direction towards

Abstract: In a CO or CO.sub.2 waveguide laser of the sealed-off type having transversal excitation, an enhancement of the useful life is achieved in that the electrodes 1 and 2 of metal that serve as waveguiding surfaces are coated with a layer insensitive to oxidation by the adjoining plasma and which has a roughness that is adequately low for the waveguiding. The invention can be particularly advantageously utilized for CO.sub.2 ribbon conductor or stripline lasers.

Abstract: An optical amplifier having one or more amplifier regions with a noncollinear light path provided by curved or folded waveguides therein between input, output and reflective surfaces provided, for example, by a low reflectivity front facet and a high reflectivity rear facet. The amplifier regions are electrically pumped via conductive contacts which may be individually addressable for each amplifier region to provide phase control of the array of emitted light. Light is accepted through the front facet by a first amplifier region, is reflected from the rear facet and is emitted through the front facet. If there are multiple amplifier regions, a portion of the light is reflected by the front facet into an adjacent amplifier region. The light path is incident on the front and rear facets at an angle other than normal thereto and preferably at most 10.degree. from normal.

Abstract: A laser apparatus comprises a hollow waveguide containing a lasing gas composition; structure for directing radiation into the waveguide and for directing radiation out of the waveguide; and electrical exciting structure operatively associated with at least part of the waveguide. The waveguide defines a convoluted, continuously curved path having a helicoidal shape. The waveguide has a concave, non-closed transverse section with an open inner portion and is disposed within a gas-tight container containing the lasing gas composition. The waveguide is a laterally open groove formed internally in a cylindrical block disposed within the container.

Abstract: A phase-locked ridge waveguide gas laser includes a body that circumferentially bounds an elongated internal space extending along a longitudinal main plane and bisected by a longitudinal central plane. The internal space contains a gaseous lasing medium that is excited at radio frequency with attendant light emission from the gaseous medium. Mirrors are so positioned relative to the body as to provide lasing of the light emission. Respective ridges partition the internal space into a plurality of laser resonator cavities each sustaining a guided mode of the lasing light emission. Each of the cavities extends longitudinally of the body and is spaced from an adjacent cavity by a predetermined distance in a width direction of the internal space.

Abstract: To provide more economical excitation of the laser gas in a waveguide laser comprising a resonator having a resonator axis, an optical waveguide extending with a waveguide longitudinal direction essentially in the direction of the resonator axis and a gas-discharge volume located between the optical waveguide surfaces and containing a laser gas, it is proposed that a microwave source be provided, that an overcoupling structure separate from the laser gas in the gas-discharge volume be arranged on a side of one of the optical waveguide surfaces opposite the gas-discharge volume, the overcoupling structure being connected via a waveguide to a microwave source, extending in an overcoupling direction parallel to the optical waveguide surface and bringing about in a strip region in the gas-discharge volume along the overcoupling direction a substantially constant coupling-in of the microwave power.

Abstract: A gas laser device comprises a discharge space in which a laser gas is excited by electric discharge, the discharge space being in the form of a slab whose section perpendicular to a laser optical axis has a longer side and a shorter side; and laser resonator mirrors disposed at both ends of the discharge space, respectively. The laser resonant mirrors constitute a negative branch unstable resonator in a first dimension of longer side of the discharge space section, and a laser beam is obtained at one end of the longer side of the discharge space section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process to electrically excite a laser gas, especially a CO.sub.2 --He--N.sub.2 mixture, which is admitted at an angle, preferably perpendicular, to the axial laser gas discharge gap, and which is ignited by means of bunched microwaves. In order to avoid the formation of wall boundary layers during the microwave excitation of a laser gas and in order to achieve a homogeneous, large-volume glow discharge, the microwaves are axially bunched into the laser gas discharge gap in the area of the laser gas inlet so that the microwaves and the ignited laser gas spread over the axial laser gas discharge gap.

Abstract: The capillary of the gas laser is fastened with respect to the housing tube in a particularly accurate and tension high free manner in that a support is provided in the housing tube which is not in direct contact with the capillary, but is connected to the capillary in a mechanically-rigid fashion by way of glass solder. The invention is particularly advantageous in helium-neon lasers and lasers having long capillaries.

Abstract: The gas discharge space into which microwaves are fed via a waveguide forms a laser housing in the form of a waveguide having a longitudinal ridge therein, the laser housing being preferably dimensioned such that its critical wavelength .lambda..sub.k is shorter than or equal to the wavelength .lambda..sub.o of the microwave frequency. The gas laser may advantageously be a CO.sub.2 gas laser.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) excited waveguide gas laser has a hollow wavegide defined by dielectric or lossy materials and metal electrodes coated by thin films with small absorptions so that the metal electrodes are separated from the filling gas and the waveguide loss is very low. With such thin films on the electrodes, a sealed-off, high-power, compact waveguide gas laser having an extended life is realized.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a highly stable CO.sub.2 waveguide laser wherein a resonator block is used which is made of a material having a low thermal expansion coefficient. The resonator block includes a window which is transparent for the wavelength of the laser. Laser reflectors are provided which are mounted by wringing to the resonator body and define a vacuum-tight seal of the resonator body. In this way, the resonator block has a permanently defined adjustment.

Abstract: A system for increasing frequency of a laser beam utilizes focused Cherenkov radiation. The system utilizes reflective/refractive properties of contiguous optics to achieve increased frequency, which provides a mechanism for alloy for increased density in such applications as optical disk technology.

Abstract: In order to improve a waveguide configuration for high-frequency-excited, diffusion-cooled gas laser system comprising a waveguide carrier with a cavity closed like a ring in an azimuthal direction in relation to a longitudinal axis and extending in the direction of said longitudinal axis, and a waveguide for guidance of a laser beam along an optical axis, the waveguide being arranged in the cavity and formed by waveguide wall surfaces disposed at a constant spacing from one another, the width of the waveguide wall surfaces transversely to the lengthwise extent of the waveguide in the direction of the optical axis being a multiple of their spacing from one another, and the waveguide wall surfaces enclosing a discharge space between them, such that with a waveguide geometry which is as expedient as possible, i.e.

Abstract: In order to improve an electrically excited, diffusion-cooled highpower laser comprising two wall surfaces slightly spaced from one another and forming an optical waveguide, the width of the wall surfaces being a multiple of the space between them and the surfaces enclosing between them a flow-free discharge chamber, and also comprising an optical resonator having resonator mirrors disposed at both ends of said waveguide, such that his results in a laser beam which can be well focused, it is suggested that the resonator be an optically unstable resonator including a beam path extending lengthwise of a resonator axis and having an expansion transverse to the resonator axis extending as far as at least one exiting laser beam and that the transverse expansion extend transversely to a longitudinal direction of the waveguide and approximately parallel to the wall surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma apparatus where plasma is generated utilizing microwave discharge and laser excitation is performed and plasma processing is performed. More specifically, in a plasma apparatus where a microwave from a microwave oscillator is transmitted through a microwave transmission path to a microwave circuit, and plasma is generated by a microwave discharge within the microwave circuit, a plasma generating medium for generating the plasma is filled in a space formed between a conductor wall constituting a part of the microwave circuit and a dielectric installed opposite to the conductor wall, and the microwave circuit forms microwave mode having an electric field component orthogonal to the boundary between the dielectric and the plasma.

Abstract: Laser apparatus includes an outer envelope which contains a plurality of laser discharge tubes. Each of the laser discharge tubes includes copper pieces which, when vaporised, acts as a laser amplifying medium. Each of the laser discharge tubes is of the maximum volume compatible with good efficiency which, when combined with the output power of the other tubes, enables a very high power output to be achieved compared with previously known tubes.

Abstract: An improved coupled waveguide laser array which provides a set of in-phase, phase locked optical beams is disclosed herein. The improved laser array of the present invention includes first and second coupled cavities for providing first and second beams in a first direction, respectively. The first and second cavities have substantially parallel longitudinal axes and apertures at first ends thereof for emitting the first and second beams. A mirror is mounted in a plane transverse to the longitudinal cavity axes and includes a first partially transmissive section mounted in optical alignment with the first cavity. The mirror further includes a first substantially reflective section mounted in optical alignment with the second cavity.

Abstract: A laser array having effectively separate oscillation regions 70,72,74 that are locked in phase is formed with a ceramic body 60,64 having a single, unpartitioned and relatively wide cavity area 62. Effectively isolated separate side by side laser oscillation regions 70,72,74 within the cavity are provided by use of common reflector optics 66,68 on the respective ends of the common cavity, 62 with one of the end optic arrangements comprising a common substrate 100 provided with several separate areas 102,104,106 of high reflectivity, mutually spaced from one another by areas of relatively low reflectivity. Individual control of the several separate regions of laser energy oscillations is provided by employing a separate pair of exciting electrodes 76,78,82,84,88,90 for each such region and applying separate RF exciting signals to the separate pairs respectively.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) excited waveguide gas laser has a hollow waveguide defined by dielectric or lossy materials and metal electrodes coated by thin films with small absorptions so that the metal electrodes are separated from the filling gas and the waveguide loss is very low. With such thin films on the electrodes, a sealed-off, high-power, compact waveguide gas laser having an extended life is realized.

Abstract: This new technique for stacking multiply folded optical paths in an extended region of a laser resonator within a gaseous medium. The path segments are connected together by a set of mirrors located along the resonator perimeter. Moreover, this invention involves a system of stacking unit tiles, each minim containing a multiply folded path, into larger domains. A multiplicity of mirrors is located in the laser resonator around the perimeter of stacked minims. A longer optical path is achieved without a corresponding increase in the number of folding elements, by stacking the minims together and thereby extending the length of the folding elements. The resulting domains fully cover the plane with a grid of evenly spaced and intersecting optical paths. The laser resonator can be used in either a laser oscillator or amplifier, and in either pulsed or continuous wave mode.

Abstract: An optically controlled laser device is used to perform digital logic functions. The device comprises a single mode semiconductor laser including a waveguide for coupling light into the lasing caving at an angle at or near normal incidence with respect to the laser radiation generated by the laser. The single mode properties of the laser are achieved by index guiding. The coupled light interacts with the laser radiation in a small region of the lasing cavity creating a perturbation that quenches the laser output, whereby input of the coupled light enables the laser device to perform logic functions.

Abstract: The laser resonator of the present invention has multiply folded optical paths in an extended region by utilizing a set of front surface reflecting elements. The resonator can be used in a gas laser oscillator or amplifier, in either continuous wave mode or pulsed mode. This optical path is folded into larger domains within a polygonal area of the laser cavity, thereby achieving increasingly longer laser paths without a corresponding increase in the number of folding elements. The resulting domains fully cover the plane with a grid of evenly spaced and intersecting optical paths. In one embodiment, the invention consists of a waveguide gas laser system with a ceramic block having a multiply folded optical path of intersecting waveguide channels cut into the block. The reflecting mirrors of the laser resonator are integrally attached to the ceramic block, enhancing the durability of the laser resonator and reducing the size.

Abstract: A waveguide gas laser having a ridged dielectric substrate to form a gas filled region in which an electric discharge generates a lasing mode. These ridged waveguide configurations may be utilized in either a rectangular or circular guide structure.

Abstract: A phase-locked staggered ridge array waveguide gas laser includes a body that circumferentially bounds an internal space extending along a central plane and containing a gaseous lasing medium. The gaseous medium is excited at radio frequency with attendant light emission from the gaseous medium. Mirrors are so positioned relative to the body as to provide lasing of the light emission. Two arrays of ridges extending into the internal space along a height dimension partition the internal space into two pluralities of laser resonator cavities each sustaining a guided mode of the lasing light emission. Each of the cavities extends longitudinally of the body and is spaced from an adjacent cavity in a width direction of the internal space.

Abstract: A phase-locked ridge waveguide gas laser includes a body that circumferentially bounds an internal space extending along a central plane and containing a gaseous lasing medium. The gaseous medium is excited at radio frequency with attendant light emission from the gaseous medium. Mirrors are so positioned relative to the body as to provide lasing of the light emission. Respective ridges partition the internal space into a plurality of cylindrical laser resonator cavities each sustaining a guided mode of the lasing light emission. Each of the cavities extends longitudinally of the body and is spaced from an adjacent cavity by a predetermined distance in a width direction of the internal space. The ridges are substantially cusp-shaped and extend into the internal space along a height dimension in respective aligned pairs.

Abstract: A phase-locked ridge waveguide gas laser includes a body having two major and two minor limiting surfaces together circumferentially bounding an internal space within the body, which contains a gaseous lasing medium. The gaseous medium is excited at radio frequency with attendant light emission from the gaseous medium. Mirrors are so positioned relative to the body as to provide lasing of the light emission. Respective ridges partition the internal space into at least three laser resonator cavities each sustaining a guided mode of the lasing light emission. The ridges extend in an alternative fashion from one and the other of the major surfaces of the body into the internal space and terminate short of the respectively other of the major surfaces to provide respective gaps. Each of these gaps connects two adjacent ones of the laser resonator cavities for phase-locking the guided modes in such cavities.

Abstract: A compact distributed inductance RF-excited waveguide gas laser arrangement includes a housing which bounds an internal space, and a waveguide laser stack located in the internal space. The stack includes, in succession, a first electrode which may be constituted by a portion of the housing, a waveguide body bounding at least one laser cavity, a second electrode, a spacer body, and a plurality of flat inductor coils that extend along a major surface of the spacer body that faces away from the second electrode and are distributed along the length of the laser cavity. Each of the inductor coils has a first end electrically connected with the first electrode and a second end electrically connected with the second electrode so that, when alternating electric current at radio frequency is applied to one of the electrodes, the inductance of each of the inductor coils is arranged electrically in parallel with the capacitance formed between the first and second electrodes and transversely of the laser cavity.

Abstract: In order to prevent, in the microwave excitation of a laser gas, the development of wall boundary layers and to attain a homogeneously large volume plasma, the laser gas is delivered in the inclusion zone of the microwave after passing a current-forming element where it is ignited by a coaxial wave guide arrangement. The ignited laser gas then spreads with the microwave in the discharge segment where it produces a homogeneous, excited laser-active medium. The homogeneity is additionally improved with the operation of the microwave guide near the "cutoff-width".

Abstract: A multiple cavity waveguide laser is formed of a pair of face to face contiguous dielectric blocks 70, 72, in the facing surfaces of which are formed pairs of mating waveguide grooves 78, 80, 82, 84, having an electrode partition 92 sealed to and between the adjacent mating blocks to separate one pair of waveguide cavities from another, thereby forming four closely spaced waveguide cavities. In another embodiment, the partition 26 between the two dielectric blocks 10, 12 is thin conductive material, and dielectric partitions 36, 38 are provided between cavities of each pair in a single dielectric block. The internal surfaces 40, 42, 44, 46 of each cavity opposite the common electrode 26 are plated with an electrically conductive material, and suitable electrical connections 56, 58, 18 are made from the internal electrodes to the exterior of the blocks.

Abstract: At the receiving end or point at which a data or information carrying seed laser beam is to be received after traveling through a medium, a pump laser beam is propagated through the medium to the sending end of the medium at which point the now aberrated pump laser beam may be amplified if necessary and directed to and propagated through a waveguide composed of a suitable third order optically nonlinear medium. The data carrying seed laser beam is directed to and through the waveguide where it is phase conjugated and then through the medium in the direction opposite to that of the pump laser and arrives at the receiving end as an unaberrated laser beam. The data carrying laser beam and the pump laser beam have a frequency difference equal to the Stokes frequency shift of the waveguide material.

Abstract: A waveguide laser having a discharge channel and two cooling channels formed in ceramic parts have the cooling channels being broader than the discharge channel, and the cooling profile parts which contain the cooling channels being soldered to both sides of the discharge profile part containing the discharge channel. The discharge profile part is formed of a channel part and a cover part.