a compact excimer laser , including a housing structure having a plurality of walls forming an internal laser cavity . a gas is located within the laser cavity and with the gas capable of lasing action . a pair of spaced electrodes are located within the laser cavity and form an electrical discharge area between the electrodes for stimulating gas within the discharge area to lasing action in accordance with an electrical discharge between the electrodes . one of the pair of electrodes is located along a central position within the cavity and is grounded to the housing structure . the other of the pair of electrodes is located adjacent to but spaced from one of the walls of the housing structure and with the other electrode mounted on a main insulator member . the main insulator member is formed of ceramic material and is located intermediate to the one wall of the housing and the other electrode but is spaced from the one wall of the housing to have the main insulator member floating relative to the housing structure . the main ceramic insulator member is compressively supported at a central position of the member and extends outward from this central position without any additional support to have the floating main insulator respond to any bending forces within the laser without any constraint other than the central support .