US5097472A — Preionized transversely excited laser

Claim 1

Independent Claim 233 words

A method for the production of coherent light by generating a high energy electrical discharge in a gaseous laser medium without the delivery of energy to the laser medium to cause preionization thereof, said method comprising the steps of: applying a voltage from a first source of electrical power at a first frequency across a pair of spaced electrodes, the electrodes being positioned within the vacuum enclosure of a laser and the laser medium comprising a lasing gas mixture being disposed between the electrodes, said applied voltage from said first power source causing the establishment of a first electrical discharge in the laser medium whereby energy from said first source is deposited in said first discharge and; depositing energy from a second source of electrical power into said first discharge in said laser medium, said second source providing a voltage at a frequency which is different than said first frequency, said second source being connected across said electrodes prior to application of said first source voltage across said electrodes, co-deposition of energy from said first source of power into said first discharge in said laser medium with energy from said second source of power occurring upon establishment of said first discharge whereby said first source supplies a comparatively small amount of energy to the gas discharge to commute the non-switched second source which supplies more energy to the discharge than said first source.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 233 words

A method for the production of coherent light by generating a high energy electrical discharge in a gaseous laser medium without the delivery of energy to the laser medium to cause preionization thereof, said method comprising the steps of: applying a voltage from a first source of electrical power at a first frequency across a pair of spaced electrodes, the electrodes being positioned within the vacuum enclosure of a laser and the laser medium comprising a lasing gas mixture being disposed between the electrodes, said applied voltage from said first power source causing the establishment of a first electrical discharge in the laser medium whereby energy from said first source is deposited in said first discharge and; depositing energy from a second source of electrical power into said first discharge in said laser medium, said second source providing a voltage at a frequency which is different than said first frequency, said second source being connected across said electrodes prior to application of said first source voltage across said electrodes, co-deposition of energy from said first source of power into said first discharge in said laser medium with energy from said second source of power occurring upon establishment of said first discharge whereby said first source supplies a comparatively small amount of energy to the gas discharge to commute the non-switched second source which supplies more energy to the discharge than said first source.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the first power source is a cw source.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the first power source is a pulsed source.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency of said first power source is higher than the frequency of said said second power source.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency of said first power source is lower than the frequency of said second power source.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the second power source deposits power in the laser medium through an unswitched capacitive discharge.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the power deposited in the laser medium by the second power source is stored in an inductance.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the power deposited in the laser medium by the second power source is stored in a capacitance and inductance.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the second power source applies an unrectified square wave across said electrodes.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the second power source applies an unrectified sine wave across said electrodes.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the output voltage of the second power source has a larger amplitude above zero volts than it does below zero volts.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the output voltage of the second power source has a smaller amplitude above zero volts than it does above zero volts.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising: delaying the delivery of power from the second power source to the laser medium upon initial establishment of the discharge.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of preventing the feedback of energy from the first power source to the second power source.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: preventing the delivery of power from the second power source to the first power source.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the length of said electrodes exceeds the spacing between said electrodes and the discharge is transversely excited by the application of a voltage between the electrodes.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the spacing between said electrodes exceeds the length of said electrodes.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 255 words

A laser comprising: a vacuum enclosure; a pair of elongated electrodes supported within said vacuum enclosure in spaced relationship; an ionizable gas within said vacuum enclosure and between said electrodes; an impedance matching network, said impedance matching network comprising at least a series connected inductance and a capacitance, said impedance matching network being connected between said electrodes of said spaced pair; a first source of power, said first power source providing an alternating current voltage having a magnitude which is sufficient to ionize the gas between the spaced electrodes; means coupling said first power source to said impedance matching network whereby the alternating current voltage is applied across said electrodes to thereby ionize the gas and establish a discharge through the gas between said electrodes, energy thereby being deposited in said discharge from said first source; a second source of power, said second power source providing a voltage having a magnitude which is less than the breakdown voltage of the gas between said spaced electrodes; and means establishing a continuous path for the flow of current from said second power source to said impedance matching network whereby the said second source will be commuted by said first source and energy will be co-deposited from the said first and second power sources into the gas discharge when established by said first source, said first source suppling a comparatively small amount of energy to the gas discharge to commute the second non-switched source which supplies a greater amount of energy to the discharge than said first source.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 255 words

A laser comprising: a vacuum enclosure; a pair of elongated electrodes supported within said vacuum enclosure in spaced relationship; an ionizable gas within said vacuum enclosure and between said electrodes; an impedance matching network, said impedance matching network comprising at least a series connected inductance and a capacitance, said impedance matching network being connected between said electrodes of said spaced pair; a first source of power, said first power source providing an alternating current voltage having a magnitude which is sufficient to ionize the gas between the spaced electrodes; means coupling said first power source to said impedance matching network whereby the alternating current voltage is applied across said electrodes to thereby ionize the gas and establish a discharge through the gas between said electrodes, energy thereby being deposited in said discharge from said first source; a second source of power, said second power source providing a voltage having a magnitude which is less than the breakdown voltage of the gas between said spaced electrodes; and means establishing a continuous path for the flow of current from said second power source to said impedance matching network whereby the said second source will be commuted by said first source and energy will be co-deposited from the said first and second power sources into the gas discharge when established by said first source, said first source suppling a comparatively small amount of energy to the gas discharge to commute the second non-switched source which supplies a greater amount of energy to the discharge than said first source.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 220 words

A method for switching the energy stored in a capacitor into a load impedance comprising the steps of: applying a voltage from a first source of electrical power at a first frequency across a pair of spaced electrodes, the electrodes being positioned within a vacuum enclosure and a gas mixture being disposed between said electrodes, said applied first power source voltage causing ionization of gas in said mixture whereby energy from said first source is deposited in the ionized gas; and depositing energy from a second source of electrical power into said ionized gas, said second power source providing a voltage at a frequency which is different than said first frequency, said second power source being connected in series with a load impedance across said electrodes prior to application of said first power source voltage across said electrodes, the ionization of said gas caused by application of said first source voltage causing energy from said second source to be deposited partially in said ionized gas and the series load impedance whereby said first source will supply a comparatively small amount of energy to the ionized gas to commute the non-switched second source which supplies a greater amount of energy to the ionized gas than said first source; energy from said first and second sources being co-deposited in the ionized gas.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 220 words

A method for switching the energy stored in a capacitor into a load impedance comprising the steps of: applying a voltage from a first source of electrical power at a first frequency across a pair of spaced electrodes, the electrodes being positioned within a vacuum enclosure and a gas mixture being disposed between said electrodes, said applied first power source voltage causing ionization of gas in said mixture whereby energy from said first source is deposited in the ionized gas; and depositing energy from a second source of electrical power into said ionized gas, said second power source providing a voltage at a frequency which is different than said first frequency, said second power source being connected in series with a load impedance across said electrodes prior to application of said first power source voltage across said electrodes, the ionization of said gas caused by application of said first source voltage causing energy from said second source to be deposited partially in said ionized gas and the series load impedance whereby said first source will supply a comparatively small amount of energy to the ionized gas to commute the non-switched second source which supplies a greater amount of energy to the ionized gas than said first source; energy from said first and second sources being co-deposited in the ionized gas.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 129 words

A method for the generation of light comprising the steps of: connecting a first source of electrical power at one frequency across a pair of spaced electrodes, a gas being disposed between the electrodes, a second source of electrical power at a second frequency which differs from said first frequency having previously been connected across said electrodes, said first power source solely causing the establishment of an electrical discharge through the unenergized gas whereby energy from said second power source will be co-deposited in the gas with energy from the first source of power and the first source will supply a comparatively small amount of energy to the discharge to commute the non-switched second source which delivers a greater amount of energy to the discharge than said first source.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 129 words

A method for the generation of light comprising the steps of: connecting a first source of electrical power at one frequency across a pair of spaced electrodes, a gas being disposed between the electrodes, a second source of electrical power at a second frequency which differs from said first frequency having previously been connected across said electrodes, said first power source solely causing the establishment of an electrical discharge through the unenergized gas whereby energy from said second power source will be co-deposited in the gas with energy from the first source of power and the first source will supply a comparatively small amount of energy to the discharge to commute the non-switched second source which delivers a greater amount of energy to the discharge than said first source.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 136 words

A method for producing a uniform high energy discharge in a high pressure gaseous medium between a pair of spaced-apart, substantially parallel electrodes, said method comprising the steps of: filling the region between the pair of spaced-apart electrodes with a gaseous medium; charging the pair of spaced-apart electrodes to a dc potential difference which is below the breakdown voltage of the gaseous medium; and producing a low energy discharge in the region between the pair of spaced apart electrodes without the delivery of pre-ionization energy to the medium whereby energy flow from said dc potential difference between the pair of spaced-apart electrodes will occur and a co-volumetric and co-temporal discharge will be initiated in the region between the electrodes, the low energy discharge supplying energy to commute a high energy discharge from said dc potential difference.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 136 words

A method for producing a uniform high energy discharge in a high pressure gaseous medium between a pair of spaced-apart, substantially parallel electrodes, said method comprising the steps of: filling the region between the pair of spaced-apart electrodes with a gaseous medium; charging the pair of spaced-apart electrodes to a dc potential difference which is below the breakdown voltage of the gaseous medium; and producing a low energy discharge in the region between the pair of spaced apart electrodes without the delivery of pre-ionization energy to the medium whereby energy flow from said dc potential difference between the pair of spaced-apart electrodes will occur and a co-volumetric and co-temporal discharge will be initiated in the region between the electrodes, the low energy discharge supplying energy to commute a high energy discharge from said dc potential difference.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 21 wherein the step of producing a low energy discharge comprises coupling a source of alternating current across the pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the magnitude of the voltage provided by said alternating current source being sufficiently great the cause ionization of the gaseous medium.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-03-17	1995-09-16	1996-03-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-03-17	1999-09-16	2000-03-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-03-17	2003-09-16	2004-03-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Preionized transversely excited laser

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