A laser comprising: a ceramic body including a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall, a first mirror supported by a first mirror mount coupled to the ceramic body and positioned at first ends of the first and second walls, a second mirror supported by a second mirror mount coupled to the ceramic body and positioned at second ends of the first and second walls opposite the first ends of the first and second walls, the ceramic body and the first and second mirror mounts (28, 30) together forming an airtight enclosure containing a laser gas, the first and second walls and the first and second mirrors (16, 18) defining a slab laser cavity within the ceramic body, a first electrode positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and adjacent to the first wall of the ceramic body, a first heat sink positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and thermally coupled to the first electrode, the first heat sink being positioned close to the first electrode with a first electrically insulating material disposed between the first heat sink and the first electrode, a second electrode positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and adjacent to the second wall of the ceramic body, a second heat sink positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and thermally coupled to the second electrode, the second heat sink being positioned close to the second electrode with a second electrically insulating material disposed between the second heat sink and the second electrode, and a radio frequency power amplifier configured to excite the laser gas disposed in the slab laser cavity by applying an excitation signal to a resonant circuit including the first and second electrodes (24, 26), wherein the first electrode, the first electrically insulating material, and the first heat sink function as a first capacitor of the resonant circuit, wherein the second electrode, the second electrically insulating material, and the second heat sink function as a second capacitor of the resonant circuit, and wherein the first and second electrodes (24, 26), portions of the ceramic body, and the laser gas function as a third capacitor of the resonant circuit. a ceramic body including a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall, a first mirror supported by a first mirror mount coupled to the ceramic body and positioned at first ends of the first and second walls, a second mirror supported by a second mirror mount coupled to the ceramic body and positioned at second ends of the first and second walls opposite the first ends of the first and second walls, the ceramic body and the first and second mirror mounts (28, 30) together forming an airtight enclosure containing a laser gas, the first and second walls and the first and second mirrors (16, 18) defining a slab laser cavity within the ceramic body, a first electrode positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and adjacent to the first wall of the ceramic body, a first heat sink positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and thermally coupled to the first electrode, the first heat sink being positioned close to the first electrode with a first electrically insulating material disposed between the first heat sink and the first electrode, a second electrode positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and adjacent to the second wall of the ceramic body, a second heat sink positioned outside the airtight enclosure containing the laser gas and thermally coupled to the second electrode, the second heat sink being positioned close to the second electrode with a second electrically insulating material disposed between the second heat sink and the second electrode, and a radio frequency power amplifier configured to excite the laser gas disposed in the slab laser cavity by applying an excitation signal to a resonant circuit including the first and second electrodes (24, 26), wherein the first electrode, the first electrically insulating material, and the first heat sink function as a first capacitor of the resonant circuit, wherein the second electrode, the second electrically insulating material, and the second heat sink function as a second capacitor of the resonant circuit, and wherein the first and second electrodes (24, 26), portions of the ceramic body, and the laser gas function as a third capacitor of the resonant circuit.