Abstract

The LP-140 is a low pressure pulsed transversely excited CO₂ laser Manufactured by PSI⁽¹⁾. The laser has a folded cavity construction and each am of the cavity contains four discharge sections. The eight cathodes are placed on the outer edges of the cavity arms so that they can share a single large wire grid anode. Eight additional electrodes each consisting of a potted array of resistively ballasted pins are located behind the grid anode directly opposite each of the cathodes. The sympathetic discharge used in the LP-140 relies on a preliminary discharge between the anode and these pin electrodes to preionise the main discharge volume. Each electrode pair has a discharge volume of 280 cm³. The discharge circuit is arranged such that each electrode pair has its own energy storage capacitors and pfn (fig. 1.) but all share a common thyratron and HV supply. The capacitors are charged to 9 kV. The de HV supply consists principally of a large HV step-up transformer with no regulation or adjustment of the output voltage possible without modification.

© 1991 Optical Society of America