Patent ID: 6553054
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A laser resonator comprising:a laser cavity having opposed upstream and downstream ends, said laser cavity to support flow of a chemical medium in a predetermined flow direction from the upstream end of said laser cavity to the downstream end of said laser cavity; a first optical element for directing an expanding laser beam having opposed first and second edges across said laser cavity such that the first edge of the expanding laser beam is nearer the upstream end of said laser cavity than the second edge of the expanding laser beam; and a second optical element, disposed opposite said first optical element relative to said laser cavity and responsive to the expanding laser beam following propagation across said laser cavity, for both collimating and spatially inverting the laser beam prior to redirecting the collimated and spatially inverted laser beam across said laser cavity such that the first edge of the redirected laser beam is nearer the downstream end of said laser cavity than the second edge of the redirected laser beam.