Laser capillary support spacer

Claim 2

A laser comprising, a glass envelope, an elongated capillary disposed axially within said envelope, and a diaphragm of flexible electrically non-conductive material at least partially supporting said capillary and dividing the interior of said glass envelope into positive and negative discharge chambers, said diaphragm comprising an annular channel member having outer and inner annular walls separated by at least one flexible annular Transverse wall to define at least one annular channel, said inner annular wall engaging said capillary and said outer annular wall engaging the inner surface of said envelope along a length of said capillary and said envelope sufficient to prevent discharge between said positive and negative discharge chambers other than through said capillary.

Claim 3

A laser according to claim 1 wherein said diaphragm is comprised of a material having an outgassing rate of less than about 5 X 10 8 Torr liters per second per square centimeter after 48 hours under vacuum at room temperature.

Claim 4

A laser according to claim 1 including means for resiliently biasing said outer annular wall of said diaphragm outwardly against said envelope, and including means for resiliently biasing said inner annular wall of said diaphragm inwardly against said capillary.

Claim 5

A laser according to claim 1 wherein said channel member is of generally U-shaped cross section defining a single channel having an open side.

Claim 6

A laser according to claim 4 wherein said diaphragm is provided with annular grooves on the channel side of said inner and outer walls adjacent the open side of said channel, and a pair of annular springs mating in said grooves, respectively, to bias said outer annular wall against said envelope and said inner annular wall against said capillary.

Claim 7

A laser according to claim 1 including means displaced along said capillary from said diaphragm for providing additional support for said capillary within said envelope.

Claim 8

A laser comprising an elongated tubular glass envelope having a pair of evacuation ports spaced axially therealong, a pair of electrodes spaced axially within said envelope, an elongated glass capillary disposed within said envelope lying along the axis of said tubular envelope, a diaphragm of flexible electrically non-conductive material partially supporting said capillary and positioned between said pair of evacuation ports and between said pair of electrodes, dividing the interior of said glass envelope into positive and negative discharge chambers, said diaphragm comprising an annulus of generally U-shaped cross section to define outer and inner annular walls separated by an annular channel, said inner annular wall engaging said capillary and said outer annular wall engaging the inner surface of said envelope along a length of said capillary and said envelope sufficient to prevent discharge between said chambers other than through said capillary, and a support member positioned along said capillary displaced from said diaphragm for partially supporting said capillary.

Claim 9

A laser comprising an elongated tubular glass envelope having a pair of evacuation ports spaced axially therealong, a pair of electrodes spaced axially within said envelope, an elongated glass capillary disposed within said envelope lying along the axis of said tubular envelope, a diaphragm of flexible electrically non-conductive material partially supporting said capillary and positioned between said pair of evacuation ports and between said pair of electrodes, dividing the interior of said glass envelope into positive and negative discharge chambers, said diaphragm comprising an annulus of generally U-shaped cross section to define outer and inner annular walls separated by an annular channel, said inner annular wall engaging said capillary and said outer annular wall engaging the inner surface of said envelope along a length of said capillary and said envelope sufficient to prevent discharge between said chambers other than through said capillary, and a support member positioned along said capillary displaced from said diaphragm for partially supporting said capillary.

Claim 10

For use in a laser having a capillary coaxially positioned within a tubular envelope, a diaphragm for maintaining separation between positive and negative discharge chambers in the envelope, said diaphragm being comprised of flexible electrically non-conductive material formed in an annulus of generally U-shaped cross section to define inner and outer annular walls separated by an annular channel, at least part of said inner annular wall being of a diameter to engage the capillary and at least part of said outer annular wall being of a diameter to engage the envelope, said parts of said outer and inner annular walls being of an axial length sufficient to prevent discharge between the positive and negative discharge chambers of the laser other than through the capillary.

Claim 11

For use in a laser having a capillary coaxially positioned within a tubular envelope, a diaphragm for maintaining separation between positive and negative discharge chambers in the envelope, said diaphragm being comprised of flexible electrically non-conductive material formed in an annulus of generally U-shaped cross section to define inner and outer annular walls separated by an annular channel, at least part of said inner annular wall being of a diameter to engage the capillary and at least part of said outer annular wall being of a diameter to engage the envelope, said parts of said outer and inner annular walls being of an axial length sufficient to prevent discharge between the positive and negative discharge chambers of the laser other than through the capillary.

Claim 12

A diaphragm according to claim 8 wherein said outer annular wall is of increasing diameter toward the open side of said annular channel, and wherein said inner annular wall is of decreasing diameter toward the open side of said annular channel.