APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR UNIFORM IONIZATION OF HIGH PRESSURE GASEOUS MEDIA

An apparatus and method for the deposition of uniform high-energy in a high pressure gaseous medium using an electrical discharge which is suitable for providing a population inversion therein with the consequent support of laser oscillation of amplification. The electric discharge is achieved without the use of a fast high-voltage, high current switch which must carry the entire discharge current, and requires lower discharge voltages than are normally used for such discharges. The high-energy, high-voltage discharge is initiated and controlled by a low-energy, high-voltage discharge which is in turn initiated and controlled by a yet lower energy preionization pulse which may derive from an electrical discharge or ionizing radiation. The simplicity of the present design permits the construction of rugged, reliable and inexpensive high-power gas lasers.