Lasers and photocoagulators

Claim 2

A wave guide laser comprising a resonant cavity; a housing defining a cell receiving recess; a pair of flash tubes supported by the housing on opposite sides of the cell receiving recess; reflectors for said flash tubes supported by the housing; an elongate wave guide cell removably located in the recess, the cell having two opposite parallel transparent walls, each of which is arranged to face a corresponding flash tube when the cell is located in the recess; a reservoir secured to the cell and communicating with opposite longitudinal ends of the cell; an active liquid comprising a dye in solution filling the cell and the reservoir; and circulation means located in the liquid for circulating the liquid between the cell and the reservoir.

Claim 3

A laser according to claim 1, wherein the cell includes a reflective member closing one longitudinal end of the cell, and a partially reflective member closing the other longitudinal end of the cell, the partially reflective member also forming a light outlet for the laser beam when produced.

Claim 4

A laser according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir has openings at its opposite end portions and the cell has openings at its opposite end portions, corresponding openings in the reservoir and the cell being aligned to form the said communication between the reservoir and the cell, and including an adhesive securing the cell and reservoir together around the aligned openings.

Claim 5

A laser according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises a hollow cylindrical member and wherein the housing includes support brackets for supporting the hollow cylindrical member.

Claim 6

A laser according to claim 1, wherein the circulation means includes a rotor located within the reservoir and magnetically coupled to a rotary member mounted on the housing whereby rotation of the rotary member causes rotation of the rotor.

Claim 7

A laser according to claim 1, wherein the circulation means comprises a member located in the reservoir and movable to displace liquid in the reservoir in response to a change in attitude of the reservoir.

Claim 8

A laser according to claim 6 wherein said member is spherical.

Claim 9

A laser comprising a resonant cavity an elongate cell an elongate reservoir, the cell and the reservoir lying side by side, means rigidly securing the cell and the reservoir along adjacent walls and providing communication between the cell and reservoir at adjacent longitudinal end portions, a solution of an active dye filling the cell and the reservoir, circulating means located within the reservoir and operable to circulate the dye solution around the loop formed by the cell and reservoir, the cell having four side walls and two longitudinal end walls with at least one of its side walls which does not face the reservoir being translucent, one of its opposite longitudinal end walls being reflective, and its other end wall being only partially reflective to define the output of the laser, a housing arranged to locate and support the cell and the reservoir, and from which the cell and reservoir can be readily removed, and light source means mounted on the housing operable when the cell is located on the housing to inject light through the translucent wall of the cell into the solution of active dye to stimulate emission of radiation.

Claim 10

A laser comprising a resonant cavity an elongate cell an elongate reservoir, the cell and the reservoir lying side by side, means rigidly securing the cell and the reservoir along adjacent walls and providing communication between the cell and reservoir at adjacent longitudinal end portions, a solution of an active dye filling the cell and the reservoir, circulating means located within the reservoir and operable to circulate the dye solution around the loop formed by the cell and reservoir, the cell having four side walls and two longitudinal end walls with at least one of its side walls which does not face the reservoir being translucent, one of its opposite longitudinal end walls being reflective, and its other end wall being only partially reflective to define the output of the laser, a housing arranged to locate and support the cell and the reservoir, and from which the cell and reservoir can be readily removed, and light source means mounted on the housing operable when the cell is located on the housing to inject light through the translucent wall of the cell into the solution of active dye to stimulate emission of radiation.

Claim 11

A laser according to claim 8 including a prime mover mounted on the housing and operable to generate a varying magnetic field through the walls of the reservoir to drive the circulating means.