High energy electron beam driven laser

Claim 2

In the method of producing stimulated emission of radiation from a lasable gas disposed in a working region in a cavity having an optical axis and imperforate walls for confining said gas and comprising part of a gas laser, the steps comprising: (a) providing a gaseous lasable medium in said cavity; (b) generating exterior of said cavity a broad area electron beam having a current density sufficient to generate a self-induced magnetic field effective to cause pinching of said electron beam, said electron beam being at least in part effective to provide a population inversion sufficient to support said stimulated emission of radiation; (c) introducing said broad area electron beam into said cavity through a wall thereof transverse to said optical axis; and (d) establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said broad area electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity greater than that of said self-induced magnetic field.

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein (a) said gas is provided in said cavity at a pressure sufficient to cause substantial scattering of the electrons of said electron beam as it passes through said gas; and (b) establishing said guiding magnetic field with an intensity to at least substantially prevent transport of electrons of said electron beam out of said working region.

Claim 4

In the method of producing stimulated emission of radiation from a lasable gas disposed in a working region in a cavity having an optical axis and imperforate walls for confining said gas and comprising part of a gas laser, the steps comprising: (a) generating exterior of said cavity a broad area electron beam having a current density sufficient to generate a self-induced magnetic field effective to cause pinching of said electron beam, said electron beam being at least in part effective to provide a population inversion sufficient to support said stimulated emission of radiation; (b) providing a gaseous lasable medium in said cavity at a pressure sufficient to cause a substantial scattering of the electrons of said electron beam as it passes through said gas; (c) introducing said broad area electron beam into said cavity through a wall thereof transverse to said optical axis; and (d) establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said broad area electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to substantially prevent transport of electrons of said electron beam out of said working region.

Claim 5

In the method of producing stimulated emission of radiation from a lasable gas disposed in a working region in a cavity having an optical axis and imperforate walls for confining said gas and comprising part of a gas laser, the steps comprising: (a) generating exterior of said cavity a broad area electron beam having a current density sufficient to generate a self-induced magnetic field effective to cause pinching of said electron beam, said electron beam being at least in part effective to provide a population inversion sufficient to support said stimulated emission of radiation; (b) providing a gaseous lasable medium in said cavity at a pressure sufficient to cause a substantial scattering of the electrons of said electron beam as it passes through said gas; (c) introducing said broad area electron beam into said cavity through a wall thereof transverse to said optical axis; and (d) establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said broad area electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to substantially prevent transport of electrons of said electron beam out of said working region.

Claim 7

In the method of producing a controlled discharge in a working region in a cavity having imperforate walls for confining a gaseous medium, the steps comprising: (a) providing a gaseous working medium in said cavity; (b) generating exterior of said cavity an electron beam; (c) introducing said electron beam into said cavity through a wall thereof; (d) applying an electric field across said cavity to produce an electrical discharge therein; and (e) establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to at least in part counteract self-induced magnetic fields resulting from said discharge.

Claim 8

In the method of producing a controlled discharge in a working region in a cavity having imperforate walls for confining a gaseous medium, the steps comprising: (a) providing a gaseous working medium in said cavity; (b) generating exterior of said cavity an electron beam; (c) introducing said electron beam into said cavity through a wall thereof; (d) applying an electric field across said cavity to produce an electrical discharge therein; and (e) establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to at least in part counteract self-induced magnetic fields resulting from said discharge.

Claim 9

The method as defined in claim 5 wherein: (a) said electron beam has a self-induced magnetic field effective to cause pinching of said electron beam; and (b) said guiding magnetic field has an intensity sufficient to at least in part counteract said pinching effect along substantially the length of said electron beam.

Claim 10

The method as defined in claim 6 wherein: (a) said gaseous working medium is provided in said cavity at a pressure sufficient to cause substantial scattering of the electron beam as it passes through said medium; and (b) said guiding magnetic field has an intensity sufficient to at least in part prevent transport of electrons of said electron beam out of said working region.

Claim 11

The method as defined in claim 5 wherein an electric discharge is formed within said cavity in a direction substantially parallel to and within said guiding field.

Claim 12

The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said electron beam is a broad area electron beam.

Claim 13

Gas laser apparatus for producing stimulated emission of radiation from a lasable gaseous working medium, said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a cavity having a working region, an optical axis and imperforate walls for confining a gas; (b) means for introducing said lasable gaseous working medium into said cavity; (c) means for introducing into said cavity, through a wall thereof and transverse to said optical axis, a broad area electron beam, said electron beam being at least in part effective to provide a population inversion in said lasable gaseous working medium sufficient to support said stimulated emission of radiation; and (d) magnetic field forming means for establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said broad area electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam.

Claim 14

Gas laser apparatus for producing stimulated emission of radiation from a lasable gaseous working medium, said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a cavity having a working region, an optical axis and imperforate walls for confining a gas; (b) means for introducing said lasable gaseous working medium into said cavity; (c) means for introducing into said cavity, through a wall thereof and transverse to said optical axis, a broad area electron beam, said electron beam being at least in part effective to provide a population inversion in said lasable gaseous working medium sufficient to support said stimulated emission of radiation; and (d) magnetic field forming means for establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said broad area electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam.

Claim 15

Gas discharge apparatus for producing a controlled discharge in a gaseous working medium, said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a cavity having a working region and imperforate walls for confining a gas; (b) means for introducing said gaseous working medium into said cavity; (c) means for introducing into said cavity through a wall thereof an electron beam; (d) means for applying an electric field across said cavity to produce therein an electrical discharge resulting in a self-induced magnetic field; and (e) magnetic field forming means for establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to at least in part counteract the self-induced magnetic field resulting from said discharge.

Claim 16

Gas discharge apparatus for producing a controlled discharge in a gaseous working medium, said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a cavity having a working region and imperforate walls for confining a gas; (b) means for introducing said gaseous working medium into said cavity; (c) means for introducing into said cavity through a wall thereof an electron beam; (d) means for applying an electric field across said cavity to produce therein an electrical discharge resulting in a self-induced magnetic field; and (e) magnetic field forming means for establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to at least in part counteract the self-induced magnetic field resulting from said discharge.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said magnetic field forming means is capable of establishing said guiding field to at least in part counteract pinching of said electron beam along substantially the length of said electron beam as it progresses toward and through said cavity and scattering of said electron beam within said cavity.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein: (a) said working medium is a lasable gaseous mixture; and (b) said electron beam is at least in part effective in providing a population inversion sufficient to support stimulated emission of radiation in said lasable gaseous mixture.

Claim 19

Gas laser apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein: (a) said broad area electron beam has a current density sufficient to generate a self-induced magnetic field effective to cause pinching of said electron beam; and (b) said guiding magnetic field has an intensity greater than said self-induced magnetic field.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein: (a) said gaseous working medium is provided in said cavity at a pressure sufficient to cause substantial scattering of the electrons of said electron beam as it passes through said gas; and (b) said guiding magnetic field is established with an intensity sufficient to at least substantially prevent transport of electrons of said electron beam out of said working region.

Claim 21

Gas laser apparatus for producing stimulated emission of radiation from a lasable gaseous working medium, said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a cavity having a working region, an optical axis and imperforate walls for confining a gas; (b) means for introducing into said cavity, through a wall thereof and transverse to said optical axis, a broad area electron beam having a current density sufficient to generate a self-induced magnetic field effective to cause pinching of said electron beam, said electron beam further being at least in part effective to provide a population inversion in said lasable gaseous working medium sufficient to support said stimulated emission of radiation; (c) means for introducing a lasable gaseous working medium into said cavity at a pressure sufficient to cause substantial scattering of the electrons of said electron beam as it passes through said gaseous working medium; and (d) magnetic field forming means for establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said broad area electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to substantially prevent transport of electrons of said electron beam out of said working region.

Claim 22

Gas laser apparatus for producing stimulated emission of radiation from a lasable gaseous working medium, said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a cavity having a working region, an optical axis and imperforate walls for confining a gas; (b) means for introducing into said cavity, through a wall thereof and transverse to said optical axis, a broad area electron beam having a current density sufficient to generate a self-induced magnetic field effective to cause pinching of said electron beam, said electron beam further being at least in part effective to provide a population inversion in said lasable gaseous working medium sufficient to support said stimulated emission of radiation; (c) means for introducing a lasable gaseous working medium into said cavity at a pressure sufficient to cause substantial scattering of the electrons of said electron beam as it passes through said gaseous working medium; and (d) magnetic field forming means for establishing a guiding magnetic field having disposed substantially within it said broad area electron beam, said guiding magnetic field further having a vector substantially parallel to and coincident with the direction of said electron beam and an intensity sufficient to substantially prevent transport of electrons of said electron beam out of said working region.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said guiding magnetic field has an intensity sufficient to at least in part counteract said pinching of said electron beam.