The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 27, 1976
Filed:
May. 30, 1973
Henry Riemersma, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Owen Farish, Bearsden, Glasgow, SC;
Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A molecular gas laser capable of operating at or near atmospheric pressure in which electrical energy is coupled into an active molecular gas medium comprising molecules having vibrational rotational energy levels by means of an electric field transverse to the lasing axis. By applying an impulse voltage to the electrode configuration, high current glow discharges can be created. The pulse discharge takes place between electrodes having parallel planar surfaces facing each other. The lateral edges of these faces are suitably profiled to avoid field concentrations and thus provide a diffused glow discharge in a uniform electric field transverse to the lasing axis. Initiatory electrons required to produce the high current diffused glow are provided by generating an intense burst of corona in the gap between spacer members having very high dielectric constants which are interposed between the electrodes. Specifically, when a voltage pulse is applied to the gap between the spacer elements a very high field appears at the interface and generates an intense burst of corona which provides ultraviolet irradiation of the cathode resulting in the emission of electrons.