Gas laser

Claim 2

In the production of laser radiation within the optical cavity of a laser, the steps of: heating a gas including at least an energizing gas; directing the flow of heated gas toward an expansion nozzle; introducing into the flow of heated gas a lasing substance in solid particle form at a point in the flow relative to the position of said expansion nozzle so that a substantial portion of said lasing substance will sublime at, or upstream of said expansion nozzle; flowing the mixture of heated gas and lasing substance through said expansion nozzle; and flowing the expanded gas mixture through an optical cavity.

Claim 3

The method according to claim 3 wherein said energizing gas comprises molecular nitrogen and said lasing substance comprises carbon dioxide.

Claim 4

In the production of laser radiation within the optical cavity of a laser, the steps of: heating a gas including at least an energizing gas; flowing the heated gas through an expansion nozzle; introducing into the flow of the expanded gas a lasing substance in solid form at a point within said flow relative to said optical cavity so as to provide intiMate mixing of sublimed lasing substance with energizing gas within said optical cavity; and flowing the mixture of expanded gas and sublimed lasing substance through the optical cavity.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 5 wherein said energizing gas comprises molecular nitrogen and said lasing substance comprises carbon dioxide.

Claim 6

A gas laser adapted for connection with a source of gas including at least a substantial percentage of an energizing gas and adapted for connection with a fluid source of lasing substance, comprising: a lasing chamber; means for heating said energizing gas so that a substantial portion thereof is brought to at least a given excited energy level; means for converting said lasing substance from a fluid to fine solid particles of said lasing substance and for introducing the particles of said lasing substance into the gaseous output of said heating means; means for rapidly cooling the mixture of said heated gas and the lasing substance so that a substantial portion of the excited energy levels within gas are preserved while said gas flow is cooled; means for flowing said gas from said heating means and the mixture of said gas and said substance through said cooling means and through said lasing chamber; and an optical cavity in said lasing chamber, said optical cavity positioned relative to the introduction of said lasing substance into said heated gas and positioned with respect to said cooling means so that said lasing substance is in substantially the gaseous state as it enters said cavity, and resonant energy transfer by collisions occurs between said heated gas and said substance at, or upstream of said optical cavity.

Claim 7

The laser according to claim 7 including a source of molecular nitrogen energizing gas and a source of fluid carbon dioxide lasing substance.

Claim 8

A gas mixing laser comprising: a laser chamber having an optical cavity positioned therein; means for providing a flow of energizing gas through said optical cavity; and means disposed within the laser chamber in close proximity with the optical cavity for introducing fine particles of a solid lasing substance into the laser chamber at a point with respect to said optical cavity so that substantially all of the lasing substance sublimes and intermixes with said energizing gas at a point within said optical cavity.

Claim 9

The laser according to claim 9 wherein said energizing gas comprises molecular nitrogen and wherein said lasing substance comprises carbon dioxide.