Patent ID: 8923356
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A carbon dioxide slab laser comprising: a first slab; a second slab; a laser ionizing chamber intermediate the first slab and the second slab containing carbon dioxide gas; a radio frequency power amplifier (RFPA) source providing pulses to the laser ionizing chamber to excite the carbon dioxide gas; a viewing window with access to the laser ionizing chamber, the viewing window located at a side of the first slab and the second slab with the access being intermediate the first slab and the second slab; an optical sensor mounted remote from the ionizing chamber to access the laser ionizing chamber through the viewing window; a controller in communication with the optical sensor, the controller configured to vary pre-ionizing RFPA power in response to detection by the optical sensor of presence of a plasma glow in the laser ionizing chamber to maintain the slab laser plasma in an energized pre-ionized state below a laser firing threshold.