Long life gas laser system and method

A long life gas discharge laser having an improved self-repairing cathode system is described. In a specific embodiment, water vapor having a partial pressure below about 10-5 torr incorporated in a molecular sieve is used to provide impurities (in this case water vapor) for repairing the cathode surface by regenerating the oxide surface and/or preventing same from deteriorating. Other impurities may be incorporated in the molecular sieve such as hydrogen, oxygen, for example. In some cases CO2 may be used. This application includes material disclosed in a paper entitled ''Continuation of the Investigation into Material Properties Affecting the Frequency Stability and Reliability of He-Ne Laser Structures'' submitted to the Office of Naval Research dated June 1972 by the inventor hereof and also a paper entitled ''Investigations of the Long Term Frequency Stability of Stable Laser Structures'' Progress Report for ONR Contract N00014-67-A-D239-0016 July 1972 by the inventor hereof. A royalty free license is hereby granted to the United States for use of the invention for all government purposes. (auth)