Patent ID: 7305019

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode, spaced apart from the first electrode, including a cathode, an insulator coupled to the cathode, a gate coupled to the insulator, and a plurality of electron emitters electrically coupled to the cathode and adapted to emit electrons upon the application of the emitting voltage between the cathode and the gate; a lasing gas disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; a chamber hermetically enclosing the first electrode, the second electrode, and the lasing gas; an optical lens mounted at an end of the chamber, the optical lens including a transparent element and a first coating coupled to at least a portion of a surface of the transparent element, the first coating being adapted to protect the transparent element; a resistor coupling the insulator to the cathode; a plurality of cavities defined, at least in part, by portions of the resistor, the insulator, and the gate; and the plurality of electron emitters being correspondingly disposed inside the plurality of cavities.