Patent ID: 7889775
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A gas discharge laser driven by radio frequency (RF) power, comprising: first and second elongated planar discharge-electrodes arranged vertically spaced apart and parallel to each other, and electrically insulated from each other with the first electrode functioning as a live electrode and arranged to receive the RF power from a source thereof and the second electrode functioning as a ground electrode, with the discharge electrodes being spaced apart by first and second electrically insulating spacer strips having first and second opposite ends and arranged along opposite edges of the electrodes with inside edges thereof laterally spaced-apart by a first distance, the spacer strips having a height which determines the vertical spacing of the live and ground electrodes; first and second mirrors forming a laser resonator extending longitudinally through the space between the discharge electrodes, such that when a discharge is created in a lasing gas between the discharge electrodes when the first electrode receives the RF power, laser radiation circulates in the laser resonator; and a planar extension block at each end of the first electrode, longitudinally spaced part from the first electrode, vertically spaced apart from the ground electrode and electrically connected to the second electrode, the extension block having two raised portions thereon having a height about equal to the height of the spacer strips and laterally spaced apart by a second distance less than the first distance, whereby erosion of the insulating spacer strips by the laser radiation is minimized.