ION-PLASMA CLEANING OF GAS LASER RESONATOR INNER SURFACE Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC H01J9/38 

FIELD: process engineering.

SUBSTANCE: this process comprises fitting gas laser resonator case at exhaust unit, high-vacuum exhaust and filling with gas. Creation of glow discharge between electrodes, training and stabilizing of the electrodes. This process differs from known methods, detachable auxiliary electrodes are fitted on resonator casing to tightly seal its inner space. After high-vacuum discharge and filling with inert gas with mass number of at least 20, ionic cleaning of resonator case inner channels in glow DC discharge by firing and supporting said glow discharge between vapours of auxiliary electrodes that confine the resonator case outline. Voltage polarity sign is preserved at every auxiliary electrode at processing of whatever gas-discharge gaps. Serial ionic cleaning of laser cathode and anodes by feeding their to the DC negative polarity voltage in pairs with appropriate auxiliary electrodes of positive polarity. Polarity signs of DC voltage at electrodes are changed to conduct ionic cleaning of near-electrode surfaces of gas laser resonator case with application of appropriate auxiliary electrodes of negative polarity. After high-vacuum discharge and filling with oxygen, ion-plasma cleaning of resonator case inner channels is performed in oxygen glow discharge. This is performed by firing and supporting the glow discharge between pairs of auxiliary electrodes with opposed polarities compared with ionic cleaning process at processing of whatever gas discharge gaps at this stage. Then, ion-plasma cleaning of cathode proper and gas laser resonator case cavities communicated therewith is performed by firing and maintaining of glow discharge between DC negative polarity electrode and positive polarity auxiliary electrode. After training and stabilizing of gas laser electrodes, electrodes proper are removed from resonator case.

EFFECT: longer life.

2 cl, 1 dwg, 7 tbl