| 摘要 |
<p>This new technique for stacking multiply folded optical paths in an extended region of a laser resonator within a gaseous medium. The path segments are connected together by a set of mirrors located along the resonator perimeter. Moreover, this invention involves a system of stacking unit tiles, each minim containing a multiply folded path, into larger domains. A multiplicity of mirrors is located in the laser resonator around the perimeter of stacked minims. A longer optical path is achieved without a corresponding increase in the number of folding elements, by stacking the minims together and thereby extending the length of the folding elements. The resulting domains fully cover the plane with a grid of evenly spaced and intersecting optical paths. The laser resonator can be used in either a laser oscillator or amplifier, and in either pulsed or continuous wave mode. In one embodiment of this invention, a waveguide gas laser system has ceramic blocks (49) located within the laser resonator (47), and each block has a multiply folded waveguide channel (57) formed therein. The larger multiply folded optical path is formed by stacking the ceramic blocks (49) together and aligning the waveguide channels. The reflecting mirrors (59) of the laser resonator (47) may be integrally attached to the ceramic block (49) enhancing the durability of the laser resonator and reducing in size.</p> |
