Patent ID: 8345723

Claim:
A transverse electric (TE) gas laser comprising: a gas contour for providing a gas flow in the laser, said gas flow having a predetermined direction, said gas contour includes the following elements: a discharge gap formed between two elongated electrodes, providing an electrical discharge of the laser, said discharge gap is located substantially transversely to the direction of the gas flow, wherein said discharge gap has a size; a cross-flow fan with an impeller having a predetermined external diameter, wherein the fan has a discharge side for pumping said gas flow and an intake side for suction of said gas flow; and an additional channel formed as a curved confuser. having an inlet opening located at said discharge side and an outlet opening located at said intake side, wherein said additional channel tapers from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, and a portion of said gas flow from the discharge side returns to the intake side, thereby creating a recirculated gas flow; and wherein the size of said discharge gap ranges from 0.05 to 0.25 of the external diameter of said impeller; wherein a sum of the size of said discharge gap and a height of said outlet opening ranges from 0.1 to 0.4 of the external diameter of said impeller.