Ion laser plasma tube cooling device and method

Claim 1

In an ion laser of the type having a plasma tube formed of a ceramic material characterized by exhibiting high thermal conductivity at ambient temperature and thermal failure when operated substantially above ambient and having a gas tight cylindrical cavity coaxially located within said tube, electrodes and conductor means connecting said tube with an appropriate electrical source, optical windows at end points of said cavity, an active gaseous mixture disposed within said cavity, inlet and exhaust means to control the flow of said gaseous mixture, and ignition means to energize the gaseous mixture within said cavity causing it to discharge, thereby emitting phased light through said optical windows, the improvement comprising: a. a metal coating on said ceramic tube covering all of a central major outer portion of said tube and spaced therefrom minor end outer portions for electrical connections thereto; b. a multi-finned metallic heat conducting structure fused to and circumferentially surrounding said central coated metal portion, said structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending fins formed by folded copper foil in corrugated-like form of substantially uniform thermal conductivity, said structure being divided longitudinally into a plurality of finned sections, each formed of said folded copper foil; c. air supply means adapted to vent cooling air over said structure and the fins thereof during operation of the laser to effect cooling of said tube ceramic material whereby the operating temperature thereof is maintained at a Below thermal failure temperature; and d. a cylindrical housing member communicating with said air supply means and adapted to surround said finned structure and contain said cooling air during passage therethrough.