Laser utilizing collision depopulation
Abstract
Abstract IN LASER ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION A JUDICIOUS COMBINATION OF INELASTIC ELECTRON-ATOM AND ATOM-ATOM COLLISIONS FOR EXCITATION AND RELAXATION MAINTAINS A POPULATION INVERSION FOR ATOMS OF THE LASER MEDIUM WITHOUT RELIANCE ON SPONTANEOUS EMISSION. THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE TRANSFER RATES BETWEEN LEVELS DUE TO ATOM-ATOM COLLISIONS ARE SMALL IF THE ENERGY DEFECT SUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDS THE AVERAGE KINETIC ENERGY. THIS COLLISIONS WITH OTHER ATOMS CAN SELECTIVELY RELAX THE LOWER LEVEL TO OTHER NEARBY LEVELS WITHOUT REDUCING THE UPPER LEVEL POPULATION. SINCE THERE IS NO RELIANCE ON SPONTANEOUS EMISSION, OPERATION IN THE LOWER REGION OF THE ENERGY LEVEL STRUCTURE IS POSSIBLE WITH INHERENTLY GREATER EFFICIENCY. LASER POWER OF THE ORDER 1 WATT/CM.3 WITH AN EFFICIENCY GREATER THAN 10% IS REALIZABLE.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon Gould
- 👤 William Ralph Bennett Jr
Bibliographic Details
Claims Analysis
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