Patent ID: 6198759
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A laser, comprising:a lasing medium;a discharge space;front and rear mirrors on opposing ends of the discharge space, the front and rear mirrors forming a resonator cavity, the resonator cavity containing the discharge space, at least a portion of the lasing medium being within the discharge space; andfirst and second elongated electrodes having first and second inner surfaces, respectively, the first and second inner surfaces each extending along a longitudinal axis and being separated by an inter-electrode gap on opposing sides of the discharge space, selected one or more portions of the first inner surface and the second inner surface being shaped along the longitudinal axis to have continuous variation in the inter-electrode gap such that the inter-electrode gap at a first longitudinal axis position varies from the inter-electrode gap at a second longitudinal axis position by at least 5% where the longitudinal distance between the first and second longitudinal axis positions is at least 25% of the distance between the front and rear mirrors.