A resonator is provided that includes opposing mirrors arranged substantially parallel to each other and separated to confine reflections for gain. A gain medium is between the opposing mirrors. A pump pumps the gain medium. At least one microrefractive element, or tens, hundreds, thousands, millions or more, stabilizes the resonator. The refractive element is disposed between the opposing mirrors and is configured to support a laser beam at a position of the refractive element. A method for producing laser light directs pump light onto one or a plurality of microrefractive elements. Reflections from the one or a plurality of microrefractive elements are confined in a resonator volume. Gain is provided in the resonator volume. Laser energy is emitted from the resonator volume.

A terahertz laser suitable for emitting at least one first electromagnetic radiation, a first emission frequency of which is between 700 and 1200 GHz. The laser comprises an infrared laser source and a resonant cavity arranged to be optically pumped by the infrared laser source, the resonant cavity containing ammonia gas as an amplifier medium and having at least one configuration in which the resonant cavity is a resonant cavity at the first emission frequency. The infrared laser source is a continuous semiconductor laser source capable of exciting molecules of the amplifier medium from an initial energy level to at least one first excited energy level, the molecules of the amplifier medium placed in the first energy level being able to relax through a pure inversion transition for which the relaxation energy corresponds to the first emission frequency.

A terahertz laser suitable for emitting at least one first electromagnetic radiation, a first emission frequency of which is between 700 and 1200 GHz. The laser comprises an infrared laser source and a resonant cavity arranged to be optically pumped by the infrared laser source, the resonant cavity containing ammonia gas as an amplifier medium and having at least one configuration in which the resonant cavity is a resonant cavity at the first emission frequency. The infrared laser source is a continuous semiconductor laser source capable of exciting molecules of the amplifier medium from an initial energy level to at least one first excited energy level, the molecules of the amplifier medium placed in the first energy level being able to relax through a pure inversion transition for which the relaxation energy corresponds to the first emission frequency.

A dielectric electrode assembly, and a method of manufacture thereof, including: a dielectric tube having a cylindrical cross-section and a relative dielectric constant, .sub.2, the dielectric tube filled with a gas having a relative dielectric constant, .sub.1; a structural dielectric having a relative dielectric constant, .sub.3 surrounding the dielectric tube; metal electrodes on opposite sides of the structural dielectric, the metal electrodes having a flat cross-sectional geometry; and the structural dielectric made from a material selected such that the relative dielectric constants of the structural dielectric, the dielectric tube, and the gas are interrelated and a uniform electric field is generated within the dielectric tube when power is applied to the metal electrodes.

The disclosed invention relates to a COIL based defense system which stays at an altitude of higher than 17 km. The defense system is comprised of a high-altitude airship which carries a COIL in which gases flow along the optical axis with several exit ports. Since the COIL can operate without a vacuum pump, it can be lightweighted.

The disclosed invention relates to a COIL based defense system which stays at an altitude of higher than 17 km. The defense system is comprised of a high-altitude airship which carries a COIL in which gases flow along the optical axis with several exit ports. Since the COIL can operate without a vacuum pump, it can be lightweighted.

The line narrowed laser apparatus configured to perform a plurality of burst oscillations including a first burst oscillation and a second burst oscillation next to the first burst oscillation to output a pulse laser beam. The line narrowed laser apparatus comprises a laser resonator, a chamber provided in the laser resonator, a pair of electrodes provided in the chamber, an electric power source configured to apply a pulsed voltage to the pair of electrodes, a wavelength-selecting element provided in the laser resonator, a spectral width varying unit provided in the laser resonator, a wavelength variable unit configured to change a selected wavelength selected by the wavelength-selecting element, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the wavelength variable unit based on an amount of control of the spectral width varying unit in a period from a time of ending the first burst oscillation to a time of starting the second burst oscillation.

A method of identifying the material and determining the physical thickness of each layer in a multilayer structure is disclosed. The method includes measuring the optical thickness of each of the layers of the multilayer object as a function of wavelength of a light source and calculating a normalized group index of refraction dispersion curve for each layer in the multilayer structure. The measured normalized group index of refraction dispersion curves for each of the layers is then compared to a reference data base of known materials and the material of each layer is identified. The physical thickness of each layer is then determined from the group index of refraction dispersion curve for the material in each layer and the measured optical thickness data. A method for determining the group index of refraction dispersion curve of a known material is also disclosed.

Laser amplification utilizing plasma confinement of a gas laser gain media is described. The gas laser gain media is compressed into plasma utilizing a self-reinforcing magnetic field referred to a plasma pinch (e.g., a flow stabilized z-pinch). In the pinch, the gas laser gain media is compressed to a high density, which improves the gain of the media. Coherent light is transmitted through the plasma pinch, which is amplified by the plasma pinch.

It is an object to provide a removal function of removing impurities from exhaust gas including rare gas (for example, argon, xenon, krypton and the like) that is used in an excimer laser oscillation device, in a system of the excimer laser oscillation device.

The excimer laser oscillation device including a gas recycle function includes an oscillation chamber in which laser gas having halogen gas, rare gas and buffer gas is filled inside, a first impurity removing device that removes impurities in exhaust gas that is discharged from the oscillation chamber, inside the system of the excimer laser oscillation device.