Scheibenförmiger Gaslaser

摘要

A CO2 slab waveguide laser (10) has a housing (20) sealed by end plates (22,24) and includes a pair of spaced apart electrodes (36,38) having opposed light reflecting surfaces. The electrodes (36,38) are dimensioned in a manner to guide light in a plane perpendicular to the reflecting surfaces. Light parallel to the reflecting surfaces is not constrained other than by a pair of resonator mirrors (30,32). The resonator structure includes a negative branch unstable resonator in the nonwaveguide dimension, defined by the resonator mirrors (30,32). A stable resonator is used in the waveguide spacing dimension, but the resonator mirror spacing from the end of the guide is based in part on the configuration of the unstable resonator. A support structure (60) maintains the electrodes (36,38) in a spaced apart orientation without confining the discharge. Pipes (70,72) are provided for cooling the laser, and a sliding support (52) for accommodating thermal expansion of the parts. Adjustable mirror assemblies (26,28) are provided which allow the tilt angles of the resonator mirrors (30,32) to be varied from outside of the housing (20). The laser is capable of generating high energy short duration (less than 1 millisecond) pulses which can be used to treat tissue with reduced trauma.