TECHNIQUE FOR INCREASING SEALED CO.SUB.2 WAVEGUIDE LASER LIFETIMES

摘要

An improvement is described for a waveguide CO2 laser system having a ceramic discharge tube and being adapted for long-term sealed operation, consisting essentially of means for extracting water vapour from said system. Such means for extracting water vapour can be mechanical or chemical in form, however, preferably, these means are P205 or a type 3A molecular sieve. The water vapour extracting means can be variably positioned in the laser gas volume of the system.