Molecular excimer gas UV preionized transverse discharge laser tube assembly

Claim 1

A corrosion resistant uniformly excited UV preionized transverse discharge molecular excimer gas laser tube assembly, comprising: a first quartz tube; a pair of quartz optical-quality windows sealed one at each end to said quartz tube at the Brewster angle forming an enclosure; a molecular excimer laser gas mixture disposed within said enclosure; a molybdenum cathode; means including a quartz/molybdenum cup sealed to the first quartz tube for mechanically supporting said molybdenum cathode within said enclosure such that the longitudinal axis of said molybdenum cathode is to one side of and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said first quartz tube and for providing an electrical connection to said molybdenum cathode; a molybdenum anode; means for supporting said molybdenum anode within said enclosure such that the longitudinal axis of said molybdenum anode is to the other side of and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said first quartz tube and for providing an electrical connection to said molybdenum anode; and a preionizer assembly disposed within said enclosure, said preionizer assembly comprising a molybdenum ribbon sealed in a second quartz tube and having along an edge thereof a plurality of spaced "V" cut slots therealong, said "V" cut slots extending partially through the wall of said second quartz tube in such a way as to form a corresponding plurality of molybdenum ribbon segments therein.