Patent ID: 7486401

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an optical fiber having a hollow passageway therethrough; a laser medium within the hollow passageway; a first electrode in contact with the laser medium within the hollow passageway; second and third electrodes arranged in a symmetric relationship with the first electrode, the second and third electrodes in contact with the laser medium within the hollow passageway such that when a voltage is applied across the first and second electrodes and across the first and third electrodes a plasma discharge current runs through the laser medium such that the laser medium emits laser light propagating in opposite directions away from the first electrode through the hollow passageway; and a recirculator wherein the optical fiber includes first and second opposing ends positioned such that at least some of the laser light propagating toward the first end is reflected by the recirculator into the second end of the optical fiber and at least some of the laser light propagating from the second end is reflected by the recirculator into the first end.