Patent ID: 7558308
Filing Date: 2009-07-07
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A hermetically sealed RF feed-through for a slab laser, the laser including a laser housing having an exterior wall and defining a housing interior, first and second elongated electrodes disposed within the housing interior to be space apart and face-to-face to define a pair of spaced apart electrode edges, the first and second electrodes defining a gap therebetween for containing a lasing gas, the feed-through comprising: a flange mountable on an exterior wall of the laser housing, the flange having an opening formed therein that corresponds to an opening formed in the exterior wall of the laser housing when the flange is mounted on the exterior wall; an O-ring recess formed in an inner surface of the flange for receiving an O-ring that provides a hermetic seal between the inner surface of the flange and the exterior wall of the laser housing; a flange lip formed around the perimeter of the opening in the flange and extending through the opening in the exterior wall of the housing and into the housing interior; a conductive rod having first and second ends, the first end being connectable to an RF power supply, the second end extending through the opening in the flange such that the flange lip surrounds but is spaced apart from the conductive rod; a conductive spring assembly connected to the second end of the conductive rod, the conductive rod extending into the housing interior a length such that the spring conductive spring assembly is urged into electrical contact with the edge of the first electrode when the flange is mounted on the exterior wall of the laser housing; and a conductive shield assembly connected to the flange lip, the shield assembly including a first conductive spring that is urged into electrical contact with the edge of the second electrode when the flange is mounted on the exterior wall of the laser housing.