Electro-optic q-switch using brewstek angle cut pockels cell

Abstract

Abstract AN ELECTRO-OPTIC SWITCH FOR HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT AND USEFUL AS A SUPERIOR Q-SWITCH FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GIANT LASER PULSES. THE SWITCH INCLUDES A BIREFRINGENT POLARIZING PRISM WHICH TOTALLY INTERNALLY REFLECTS ONE COMPONENT OF UNPOLARIZED LIGHT AND PASSES THE OTHER COMPONENT TOWARD A BREWSTER-ANGLE CUT POCKELS CELL. THE BREWSTER-ANGLE CUT CELL, WHEN CHARGED, CIRCULARLY POLARIZES LINEAR LIGHT PASSED BY THE POLARIZING PRISM, AND SUBSEQUENTLY LINEARLY POLARIZES THE CIRCULARLY POLARIZED LIGHT ON ITS RETURN PASS THROUGH THE CELL WITH THE RETURNED LIGHT BEING TOTALLY REFLECTED BY THE PRISM. WHEN UNCHARGED, HE POCKELS CELL PRESERVES THE ORIGINAL POLARIZATION OF LIGHT FROM THE PRISM WITH THIS LIGHT PASSING BACK THROUGH THE PRISM. NO ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS ARE USED IN THE SYSTEM. A SECOND PRISM CAN BE ADDED TO OPERATE THE SWITCH IN A HALF-WAVE MODE. THIS INVENTION RELATES TO AN ELECTRO-OPTIC LIGHT SWITCHING DEVICE, AND MOTE PARTICULARLY RELATES TO A NOVEL DEVICE FOR SWITCHING LIGHT OF EXTREMELY HIGH INTENSIY WHICH USES A BRIEFRINGEMENT POLARIZING PRISM WHICH PASSES A LINEARLYY POLARIZED LIGHT COMPONENT FROM A SOURCE TOWARD A POCKELS CELL WITH INCIDENT LIGHT ON ALL INTERFACES BEING AT OR NEAR THE BREWSTER ANGLE TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR ANTI-REFLECTION COATINGS AND TRANSPARENT ELECTRODES AND TO MINIMIZE SURFACE REFLECTION LOSSESS. THE SWITCH HAS PARTICULAR APPLICATION TO A Q-SWITCHED LASER FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GIANT LASER PULSES WITH INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND WITH INTENSITIES HIGH ENOUGH TO DESTROY PRESENTLY AVAILABLE ANTI-REFLECTION COATINGS.

Inventors

• 👤 Anthony Immarco
• 👤 Mark A Steinhacker
• 👤 Richard J Proebstl
• 👤 Harold M Stahl

Bibliographic Details