Patent US3772610A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3772610A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Arcless electrode construction for gas transport laser
Assignee: GTE Sylvania Inc
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Filing: 1972-09-20
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Granted: 1973-11-13
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Expires: 1992-09-20
Abstract
Abstract Arcing in the continuous electric discharge of a gas transport laser induced by instabilities inherent in a glow discharge in a rectangular cross-section channel is eliminated by mounting an elongated cylindrically tubular cathode in the mainstream transversely of the direction of flow and by disposing a coextensive segmented anode flush with the opposite channel wall and essentially out of the mainstream. The resulting downstream turbulence caused by the cathode provides an electrically homogeneous gaseous mass immediately adjacent the cathode surface which forms a relatively uniform electric current path for supporting a stabilized gaseous discharge across the lasing region. Laminar flow at the surfaces of the anode segments or pads is achieved by flush mounting the pads in the channel wall for further minimizing instabilities in the discharge path.
Inventors
- 👤 J Foster
- 👤 R Kirk
- 👤 F Moreno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:59
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0979
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
High power gas transport laser apparatus comprisIng a channel having a rectangular cross-section with a width greater than the height and comprising top and bottom walls and side walls, a gas mixture comprising carbon dioxide in said channel, means for moving said gas mixture in one direction through said channel at a predetermined velocity, means for producing an electric discharge in said gas mixture transversely of the direction of flow comprising a cylindrically-tubular cathode disposed between the top and bottom walls of said channel transversely of said one direction, said cathode being spaced closer to the top wall than to the bottom wall, a planar segmented anode disposed in the plane of the bottom wall transversely of said one direction and downstream from said cathode, and means for electrically energizing said electrodes to establish a glow mode electric discharge through said flowing gas mixture between said electrodes, and mirror means adjacent the side walls of the channel and optically aligned with said electric discharge for directing a beam of coherent light therethrough.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
High power gas transport laser apparatus comprisIng a channel having a rectangular cross-section with a width greater than the height and comprising top and bottom walls and side walls, a gas mixture comprising carbon dioxide in said channel, means for moving said gas mixture in one direction through said channel at a predetermined velocity, means for producing an electric discharge in said gas mixture transversely of the direction of flow comprising a cylindrically-tubular cathode disposed between the top and bottom walls of said channel transversely of said one direction, said cathode being spaced closer to the top wall than to the bottom wall, a planar segmented anode disposed in the plane of the bottom wall transversely of said one direction and downstream from said cathode, and means for electrically energizing said electrodes to establish a glow mode electric discharge through said flowing gas mixture between said electrodes, and mirror means adjacent the side walls of the channel and optically aligned with said electric discharge for directing a beam of coherent light therethrough.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 1 in which said last named means comprises a direct current power source having positive and negative output terminals electrically connected to said anode and cathode, respectively, and a starter electrode supported adjacent to the upstream side of said cathode and electrically connected to the positive terminal of said source, the spacing between the starter electrode and cathode being substantially smaller than the spacing between the anode and cathode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
151 words
High power gas transport laser apparatus comprising a channel having a generally rectangular cross-section, means for moving gas through said channel at a predetermined velocity and pressure, electrodes disposed to support an arcless glow discharge through said moving gas in the channel comprising a cylindrically tubular continuous cathode having a main body portion within said channel and extending transversely of the direction of gas flow whereby to produce turbulence in the gas adjacent to the downstream side of said body portion, an anode coextensive with and spaced from said main body portion of said cathode, said anode comprising a plurality of plane conductive pads electrically insulated from each other and disposed in the plane of the inner surface of said channel opposite from the cathode whereby the flow of gas over the pads is substantially laminar, and means for energizing said electrodes to support a continuous glow discharge in said gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
151 words
High power gas transport laser apparatus comprising a channel having a generally rectangular cross-section, means for moving gas through said channel at a predetermined velocity and pressure, electrodes disposed to support an arcless glow discharge through said moving gas in the channel comprising a cylindrically tubular continuous cathode having a main body portion within said channel and extending transversely of the direction of gas flow whereby to produce turbulence in the gas adjacent to the downstream side of said body portion, an anode coextensive with and spaced from said main body portion of said cathode, said anode comprising a plurality of plane conductive pads electrically insulated from each other and disposed in the plane of the inner surface of said channel opposite from the cathode whereby the flow of gas over the pads is substantially laminar, and means for energizing said electrodes to support a continuous glow discharge in said gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 3 in which said energizing means comprises a source of direct current power having a positive terminal connected in parallel to said pads and a negative terminal connected to said cathode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 4 with a ballast resistor connected in series between each pad and said source, the resistance of the resistors connected to certain of the pads being different from the resistance of others of the the resistors whereby the value of current in the discharge varies across the electrode span.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 5 in which the resistance of the resistors connected to the pads at the center and ends of said plurality of pads is greater than the other resistors whereby current at the ends and center of the discharge is less than at other locations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 3 in which said cathode has side legs extending upstream from said main body portion and are connected to the body position by smoothly curved continuous sections.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 3 in which each of said pads has parallel side edges and curved leading and trailing ends whereby the spacing between adjacent pads at such ends changes gradually.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 3 in which said channel has a bottom wall with a recess formed on the inner surface, said pads being disposed in said recess with the top surfaces of the pads iN the plane of the bottom wall inner surface, and means for electrically insulating said pads from said bottom wall and establishing a relatively high heat transfer relation with said wall.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 9 in which said bottom wall has a hollow chamber formed therein under said pads, and means for directing a coolant through said chamber for removing heat from said pads.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
Laser apparatus according to claim 10 in which said ballast resistors are disposed within said chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-12 | 1977-05-14 | 1977-11-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-12 | 1981-05-14 | 1981-11-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-12 | 1985-05-14 | 1985-11-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |