Gas laser with discharge and gas return paths through a common cylindrical body

Claim 1

A gas laser comprising: a hermetically sealed elongated enveloping assembly including a cathode containing housing adjacent one end, a tubular anode adjacent the other end, and a plurality of axially aligned elongated cylindrical bodies of electrically insulating material successively disposed between said cathode housing and said anode in hermetically bonded relationship with one another and with said cathode housing and said anode, said bonded cylindrical bodies forming an outer wall of said enveloping assembly, each said cylindrical body defining an axial longitudinal bore therethrough aligned with the said axial longitudinal bore of each other said cylindrical body, each said cylindrical body further defining at least one off-axis longitudinal bore therethrough in gas communicating relationship and aligned with the said off-axis longitudinal bore of each other said cylindrical body, the axial longitudinal bores being in gas communicating relationship with the off-axis longitudinal bores in the vicinity of said cathode and in the vicinity of said anode, bonding material disposed between and bonded to the facing end surfaces of adjacent ones of said cylindrical bodies in a manner precluding gas communication between the off-axis longitudinal bores and the axial longitudinal bores therein in the space between said adjacent cylindrical bodies; said enveloping assembly further including laser energy transparent means at at least one end thereof and containing an ionizable gas capable of undergoing laser action; tubular means coaxially disposed about said bonded cylindrical bodies and radially spaced from the outer lateral surface thereof to define an annular passageway therebetween; and means for passing a coolant along said passageway in direct contact with said outer lateral surface of said bonded cylindrical bodies.