COLPITTS RF POWER OSCILLATOR FOR A GAS DISCHARGE LASER

1 . A device for an RF-excited gas laser, comprising:

a Colpitts oscillator including a laser tube, wherein the Colpitts oscillator is arranged such that the laser tube is the feedback pi-network of the Colpitts oscillator.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the laser tube includes a discharge region that is designed to include a gas load therein.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the laser tube includes an inductor circuit in parallel with the discharge region.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the laser tube further includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes are disposed on opposite sides of the discharge region, the first electrode is coupled to a first node, the second electrode is coupled to a second node, and wherein the laser tube further includes an inductor circuit that is coupled between the first and second nodes.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the laser tube includes a first tap that is coupled to the first electrode, and a second tap that is coupled to the second electrode.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the Colpitts oscillator further includes:

a power transistor having at least a gate that is coupled to a third node, a drain that is coupled to a fourth node, and a source;

at least one reactive component that is coupled between the fourth node and the first node; and

a feedback circuit that is coupled between the second node and the third node.

7 . The device of claim 6 , further comprising an RF choke that is coupled to the fourth node.

8 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the feedback circuit includes a DC blocking capacitor.

9 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the Colpitts oscillator further includes an adjustable inductor mounted on the laser tube external to the laser tube, wherein the adjustable inductor is coupled between the first node and the second node.

10 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the Colpitts oscillator further includes a phase-shifting network that is configured such that the power transistor operates class E.

11 . The device of claim 6 , further comprising:

another Colpitts oscillator that includes the laser tube, and wherein the laser tube further includes another inductor circuit that is coupled between the first and second nodes.

12 . The device of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of additional Colpitts oscillator such that each of the Colpitts oscillators is disposed uniformly along the laser tube, and wherein the laser tube include an additional pair of taps for each of the additional Colpitts oscillators.

13 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the Colpitts oscillator is a dual Colpitts oscillator.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the Colpitts oscillator further includes:

another power transistor having at least a gate that is coupled to a fifth node, a drain that is coupled to a sixth node, and a source;

another reactive component that is coupled between the sixth node and the second node; and

another feedback circuit that is coupled between the first node and the fifth node.

15 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one reactive component includes a DC blocking capacitor.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one reactive component further includes an inductor in series with the DC blocking capacitor.

17 . A device for an RF-excited gas laser, comprising:

a laser tube that is arranged to receive an RF signal; and

oscillation circuitry, including: a transistor and at least one passive component, wherein the oscillation circuitry is arranged such that the transistor employs class E operation to provide the RF signal.

18 . A method for an RF-excited gas laser, comprising:

employing an RF-excitable laser tube having at least first and second taps to generate a laser, wherein employing the RF-excitable laser tube includes:

providing a bias voltage to a gate of a power transistor;

providing a signal at the drain of the power transistor to the first tap of the RF-excitable laser tube; and

providing a feedback voltage to the gate of the power transistor, based in part on a signal provided at the second tap of the RF-excitable laser tube, such that the voltage at the drain of the power transistor oscillates, wherein the voltage oscillation causes plasma breakdown of a gas load in the RF-excitable laser tube to generate the laser.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

further adjusting the feedback voltage such that the power transistor operates class E.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

adjusting an inductance between the first tap and the second tap during operation of the laser.