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Pumping light source for laser-active mediaRelated Patent Categories: Coherent Light Generators, Particular Pumping Means, Pumping With Optical Or Radiant EnergyPumping light source for laser-active media description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060209919, Pumping light source for laser-active media. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/791,664 filed on Mar. 1, 2004, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/118,594 filed on Apr. 8, 2002, now abandoned, which claims priority of German patent application no. 102 08 585.4 filed on Feb. 22, 2002. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a pumping light source for laser-active media, comprising an outer member enclosing a gas discharge medium, a first electrode acting as a cathode and having a first electrode end located within the outer member, a second electrode acting as an anode and having a second electrode end located within the outer member and a gas discharge chamber located within the outer member between the electrode ends facing one another. [0003] Pumping light sources for laser-active media of this type are known from the state of the art, wherein the problem always exists that the service life of such pumping light sources is limited, namely, in particular, due to several effects which are connected to one another. These effects are vaporization or sputtering of electrode material which is deposited, in particular, on the outer member and leads to thermal stressing thereof and, in addition, stressing of the outer member due to unfavorable gas discharge procedures. [0004] The object underlying the invention is therefore to improve a pumping light source of the generic type in such a manner that the service life thereof is longer. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a pumping light source of the type described at the outset, in that the first electrode end is essentially cooled by radiation and that a predominantly diffuse gas discharge is formed proceeding from an areally extended surface area located at the first electrode end. [0006] The advantage of the inventive solution is to be seen in the fact that the formation of a diffuse gas discharge, which, for its part, reduces the sputtering and vaporization of electrode material and, in addition, also favors the thermal stressing of the outer member on account of more favorable flow ratios during the diffuse gas discharge, is promoted by the radiation cooling. [0007] As a result, the service lives of the pumping light sources may be increased considerably due to the inventive solution. [0008] An areally extended surface area for forming the gas discharge in a predominantly diffuse mode is to be understood such that the surface area of the cathode has an appreciably greater extension than in the case of a so-called spot mode of the gas discharge, with which the gas discharge proceeds from an essentially punctiform surface area. [0009] It is particularly advantageous for the formation of a predominantly diffuse gas discharge, i.e., a gas discharge in the diffuse mode when the surface area has essentially a uniformly high temperature. This can be achieved in a simple manner, in particular, by way of the radiation cooling of the first electrode end. [0010] It is particularly favorable when the surface area overlaps a volume area at the first electrode end which has essentially a uniformly high temperature. Any unfavorable influencing of the composition of the material in the surface area during operation of the pumping light source may, in particular, be avoided as a result of essentially a uniformly high temperature of the entire volume area at the electrode end. [0011] In order to ensure the formation of a diffuse gas discharge in the case of, where possible, all the operating states it is preferably provided for the surface area to be designed essentially free from steps. Such a step-free design of the surface area suppresses the tendency of the gas discharge to transfer into the spot mode and thus stabilizes the diffuse mode of the gas discharge to as great an extent as possible. [0012] In this respect, it is not imperative for the surface area to represent a flat surface, the surface area can also be a curved surface. [0013] A particularly favorable solution provides for the surface area to be defined by a section of a mathematical surface area extending in a continuous manner, i.e., the mathematical surface area has no point or step or other discontinuity in the section but extends in a continuous manner in order to give the gas discharge proceeding from this section no possibility or tendency to transfer into a spot mode. [0014] The surface area, from which the diffuse gas discharge proceeds, has an appreciably large extension in relation to the cross-sectional surface area of the electrode end. The surface area preferably has an areal extension which corresponds at least to half of the cross-sectional surface area of the volume area at the first electrode end. It is even better when the surface area has an areal extension which is greater than two thirds of an average cross-sectional surface area of the volume area at the first electrode end. [0015] Since current must automatically flow through each electrode, each electrode is guided out through the outer member to an electrical connection, wherein, as a result, heat conduction from the electrode end to the outer member automatically results. A particularly favorable solution supporting the inventive concept provides for the first electrode end to be coupled to the outer member by way of heat conduction only via the electrode extending to an electrode opening in the outer member and, therefore, achieves essentially a uniformly high temperature in the surface area extended over the electrode end so that the predominantly diffuse gas discharge is formed proceeding from this surface area. This means that in this solution the bodily heat conduction from the electrode end to the outer member, which is, for its part, cooled, relative to the radiation cooling can be disregarded. This means that every solution is, in particular, excluded, with which the electrode experiences cooling by way of heat conduction near to the electrode end due to bodily contact with the outer member. [0016] The heat conduction in the electrode to the outer member may be suppressed particularly well when the extension of the first electrode between an electrode opening of the outer member and the first electrode end relative to the average cross section of the first electrode is such that the extension is greater than ten times the average cross section of the electrode and so the heat conduction can be reduced solely as a result of this to a degree which can be disregarded in comparison with the radiation cooling. [0017] It is especially favorable, in particular, when in the first electrode the heat resistance between the first electrode end and the electrode opening is at least 10.degree. C. per Watt. [0018] With respect to the material to be used at the first electrode end, no further details have been given in conjunction with the preceding explanations concerning the inventive solution. It would, for example, be conceivable to use ceramics as material which must, however, have a sufficiently high conductivity for conducting current in order to keep the heating up of the electrode by the current supplied as low as possible. A particularly favorable solution does, however, provide for the first electrode end to consist of a high melting metal. [0019] With respect to the selection of the material for the first electrode end, it has proven to be particularly favorable when the material forming the first electrode end is provided with a dope additive which leads during operation to a lower electrode operating temperature than in the case of the undoped material. When the material is, in this respect, a metal, the dope additive has to be selected such that the electrode operating temperature, i.e., the temperature of the electrode during a burning gas discharge is lower than in the case of the undoped material in order to suppress any vaporization or sputtering of the material to as great an extent as possible. [0020] In this respect, it is particularly expedient when the electrode operating temperature of the electrode end is lower than the melting temperature of the material of the electrode end in order to likewise prevent vaporization or sputtering of the material to a great extent. [0021] A particularly preferred solution for the material of the first electrode end provides for this to consist of tungsten, wherein the tungsten is preferably doped with a material, the work function of which for electrons is smaller than that of pure tungsten. [0022] The most varied of materials can be considered as doping materials. 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