Repetitively pulsed, cold cathode e-beam, self-switch laser

Claim 1

In a high powered gas laser comprising a housing having a flow channel therethrough for the flow of a laser gas mixture, said flow channel having a laser chamber therein that is defined by said housing and porous means at opposite ends of the laser chamber through which the laser gas must flow, said porous means being such as to prevent transverse spreading of electrons from said laser chamber and to act as an effective means to attenuate acoustic waves that are generated, means for applying a high power voltage across said laser chamber at a potential that is below the breakdown voltage of said laser gas mixture, and a cold cathode e-beam device mounted adjacent said laser chamber and circuit means for applying a potential to said e-beam device to provide a potential to said laser gas mixture sufficient to cause a current path to be established in the laser chamber for electric pumping to occur and therefrom a lasing action from the laser mixture, said potential coupled through said e-beam device and said high power voltage discharging through said laser chamber for providing lasing action, and said means for applying said high power voltage causing a drop in value thereof while discharging through said laser chamber so that said laser will self-switch when said e-beam device is cut-off due to said high power voltage dropping to a potential that is below a voltage capable of maintaining a discharge and lasing action from the laser mixture.