Anodes and cathodes for use in generating gas discharge laser light are disclosed. The improved anode has a transition portion that includes a substantially vertical sidewall to transition between the active portion and the end portion to reduce erosion-related issues. The improved cathode has thickened spine portions in enhanced erosion locations. The spine portions are thickened by removing material from the shoulder of the cathode stepped cross-section profile in those locations in order to improve the longevity of the cathode.

A laser oscillator includes an outer electrode, an inner electrode forming a discharge chamber between the inner electrode and the outer electrode, a first resonator mirror provided on a first end side of the outer electrode and the inner electrode, a second resonator mirror provided on a second end side of the outer electrode and the inner electrode and configured to reflect the laser light between the second resonator mirror and the first resonator mirror, and a support member configured to support the inner electrode. The support member has an opening portion through which the laser light passes at a position corresponding to the discharge chamber, and at least a part of the opening portion has an opening width smaller than a beam diameter of the laser light emitted from the discharge chamber and serves as a space filter portion.

A gas laser device may include: a laser chamber containing laser gas; a first discharge electrode disposed in the laser chamber; a second discharge electrode disposed to face the first discharge electrode in the laser chamber; and a condenser including a polyimide dielectric and configured to supply power to between the first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode.

One or both of the confronting discharge surfaces of the cathode and anode electrodes in a laser discharge chamber, that is, the surfaces between which the plasma is struck, are provided with an engineered surface structure forming distributed discharge initiation or nucleation sites in order to effect control over the discharge process.

A laser chamber according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a laser chamber including a pair of electrodes disposed so as to face each other in a first direction, the laser chamber being configured such that a laser gas can be introduced into the laser chamber, at least one of the pair of electrodes including a discharge section extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a shoulder section disposed so as to surround a side surface of the discharge section, a surface of the discharge section having a discharge surface extending in the second direction and an end surface provided at an end portion of the discharge section in the second direction, the end surface being a portion of a spheroid.

A discharge electrode to be used in a gas laser device for exciting a laser gas containing fluorine by discharge includes a cathode having an elongated cathode discharge surface, and an anode having an elongated anode discharge surface and arranged in a posture in which the anode discharge surface faces the cathode discharge surface. Here, a large number of recesses are formed on the cathode discharge surface in an initial state, and a large number of recesses are not formed on the anode discharge surface in the initial state.

A gas laser device is for discharging and exciting a laser gas passing through a discharge space between first and second discharge electrodes and includes a plate supporting the first discharge electrode, a guide member arranged on the plate and guiding the laser gas to the discharge space, a dielectric pipe arranged between the guide member and the first discharge electrode, a first path including the guide member and causing a part of the laser gas to flow therein as a branched flow, a second path including the dielectric pipe and the plate and causing the branched flow flowing out from the first path to flow therethrough, and a third path including the dielectric pipe and the first discharge electrode and guiding the branched flow flowing out from the second path to upstream of the laser gas with respect to the discharge space.

There is provided a laser system having a cylindrically-shaped annular mirror with at least one opening in its surface; a pair of planar metallic electrodes disposed proximate opposite edges of the annular mirror, normal to the axis of the annular mirror, the electrodes configured to have an RF field applied between them; a pair of end mirrors disposed at said at least one opening; and a ceramic material in the form of a disc, disposed in the internal volume of the annular mirror, the ceramic material having a series of channels formed therein such that they generate a zig-zag pathway in the ceramic material, wherein (i) the zig-zag path, when filled with a gain medium, (ii) the annular mirror and (iii) the pair of end mirrors, together constitute a laser cavity.

A laser chamber includes a cathode electrode including a cathode discharge surface extending in a first direction, an anode electrode including an anode discharge surface extending in the first direction, the anode discharge surface facing the cathode discharge surface in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a fan that circulates the laser gas to pass through a discharge space between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and a preionization electrode disposed on an upstream side of the laser gas. A cross-sectional shape of the cathode discharge surface cut along a plane orthogonal to the first direction is asymmetrical about an axis parallel to the second direction, and a cross-sectional shape of the anode discharge surface cut along the plane is symmetrical about the axis, in an initial state.

Discharge electrodes include a cathode and an anode. The anode is disposed to face the cathode in a discharge direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the cathode, and includes an electrode base 1, and a coating layer that covers a portion of a surface of the electrode base. First corners in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction connect first straight sections formed of first side surfaces that are side surfaces of the electrode base to a first curved section formed of a first discharge surface that is a discharge surface of the electrode base. The first corners are closer to the cathode in the discharge direction than second corners connecting second straight sections formed of second side surfaces that are side surfaces of the coating layer to a second curved section formed of a second discharge surface that is a discharge surface of the coating layer.