Crossed-tube fluid-ballasted electrode pair for EDL applications

The design and operational features of a fluid-ballasted electrode structure for a high powered EDL CO(2) laser are described. This new device incorporates a crossed-tube geometry and as such is much simpler and inexpensive to fabricate than previous multielement or pin electrodes. Hot boundary layer formation at the electrode surfaces is minimized by a ducted flow-through feature also incorporated into the structure. This further assists in suppression of glow-to-arc transitions. The modular design used allows easy scaling to very large discharge volumes. A 40-liter cw CO(2) laser discharge system has recently been developed using this simplified crossed-tube fluid-ballasted electrode pair concept.