Metal-vapor pulsed laser

Details Metal-vapor pulsed laser Metal-vapor pulsed laser

1998-10-29

2001-05-08

Font, Frank G. (Department: 2877)

Coherent light generators

Particular active media

Gas

C372S038050, C372S038070, C372S056000, C372S082000, C372S086000, C372S087000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06229837

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a metal-vapor pulsed laser and, more particularly, to a novel high-output, highly efficient, pulsed laser utilized for exciting a dye laser for laser isotopes separation, an amplifier, or a laser adapted for laser beam machining.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conventional metal-vapor pulsed laser uses only two electrodes, i.e., a cathode and an anode, to produce high-output pulsed discharge directly.
However, in order to obtain further improved output and efficiency with this conventional structure using only two such electrodes, it has been necessary to improve the pulsed discharge characteristics by making the equipment such as the laser tube itself bigger, arranging expensive circuit elements in multi-stages, or adding a magnetic compression circuit using a saturable reactor or the like to the discharging circuit. As a result, such discharge circuits ate very complex. Hence, it is not easy to achieve a higher output and a higher efficiency. Additionally, the cost is increased greatly. In this way, various problems have taken place.
Furthermore, the cathode is impacted by ions from a discharging plasma, because an electric discharge is directly produced between the cathode and anode. This accelerates deterioration of the cathode. Consequently, the life of the cathode is short.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel metal-vapor pulsed laser having an output and efficiency that can be improved easily and economically without using a large-scale laser tube or adding an expensive discharging circuit.
This object is achieved in accordance with the teachings of the invention by a metal-vapor pulsed laser comprising a laser tube and a discharging circuit for producing an electric discharge inside the laser tube having a cathode and an anode, the laser being characterized in that a grid electrode is mounted near the cathode of the laser tube. A preliminary discharge is produced between the grid electrode and the cathode. This preliminary discharge induces a main discharge.
Further, the present application is based on the laser described above and characterized in that a peaking capacitor is connected between the anode of the laser tube and the grid electrode.
Further, the present invention is based on the laser described above and characterized in that a static voltage is applied to the cathode or anode, under the condition in which no peaking capacitor is connected between the anode and the grid electrode.
Further, the present invention is based on the laser described above and characterized in that a pulsed discharge is produced.
Still further, the present invention is based on the laser described above and characterized in that the laser is a longitudinal discharge-excited pulsed laser.
Other objects and features of the invention will appear in the course of the description thereof, which follows.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3986139 (1976-10-01), Meneely et al.
patent: 4669085 (1987-05-01), Plourde
patent: 4802185 (1989-01-01), Kyusho
patent: 4839554 (1989-06-01), Maitland et al.
patent: 4978929 (1990-12-01), Knobe
patent: 5048045 (1991-09-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5684814 (1997-11-01), Hollins et al.

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