Dual use power supply configuration for the double pulsed flashlamp pumped dye laser

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A dual pulse flashlamp-pumped laser system (50) having a power supply circuit (62) which not only charges two capacitors (C1, C2) which are successively discharged to produce two laser pulses, but also supplies a simmer current through the flashlamp (58) between the pulses. The first laser pulse follows a trigger pulse on a flashlamp trigger wire (60) which ionizes the flashlamp gas permitting a first capacitor (C1) to discharge through the flashlamp (58). The simmer current maintains the flashlamp gas in an ionized state, so that a second trigger pulse is not needed. The second laser pulse follows an SCR-controlled discharge of the second capacitor (C2) through the flashlamp (58).