US3576500A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Low level laser with cyclic excitation and relaxation
Assignee: PATLEX Corp
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Filing: 1965-11-30
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Granted: 1971-04-27
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Expires: 1985-11-30
Abstract
Abstract There are disclosed low energy level lasers employing inelastic collisions to populate the upper laser level and to depopulate the lower laser level wherein the population and depopulation processes are done cyclically rather than simultaneously. The laser is also characterized by the fact that transitions from the upper laser level to the lower laser level (the laser transition) and the (relaxation) transitions from the lower laser level to still lower energy (sink) levels are at least partially forbidden. On the other hand, transitions from the sink level to the upper laser level (the excitation transition) is allowed or at least less strongly forbidden than the relaxation transition.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon Gould
- 👤 William R Bennett Jr
- 👤 William T Walter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:47
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/031
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, the lower one of said pair of energy levels being between about 6,000 and 18,000 wave numbers above said sink level, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacTing said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
194 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, wherein the transition defined by said sink level and the upper one of said pair of levels is an allowed electric dipole transition, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
189 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation, e. causing said pulse of stimulated light to repetitively traverse said bounded volume to produce a regenerative oscillation.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
186 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink of the same parity as the lower one of said pair of energy levels and consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
189 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same maTerial within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition, the lower one of said pair of levels belonging to the first spectroscopic term above the ground term, and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
179 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to a temperature in excess of 1,000* C. to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
181 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition, the upper one of said levels being a resonance level, and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
171 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of the single ground level in its ground spectroscopic term, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of saId pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
190 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, the lower one of said pair of levels being not less than 6,000 wave numbers above said sink level, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
186 words
The method of pulse operating a laser in a low energy level mode comprising the steps of: a. providing a material within a bounded volume, b. heating said material to provide a neutral atomic laser medium of the same material within said volume having a pair of energy levels with an energy separation, corresponding to a light wave frequency, defining a partially forbidden electric dipole transition and having a third and lesser energy sink consisting of at least one level in its ground spectroscopic term, the upper one of said pair of levels being the first resonance level above ground, c. cyclically exciting electrons within the atoms of said gas by collisions to provide a periodic population inversion between said pair of levels and a subsequent output light pulse generated by stimulated emission, d. interacting said atomic gas with agents within said bounded volume to provide for relaxation of said electrons from the lower one of said pair of levels to said sink level during intervals between said pulse of light and periods of excitation in order to prepare said gas for its next cyclic excitation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-04-26 | 1974-10-26 | 1975-04-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-04-26 | 1978-10-26 | 1979-04-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-04-26 | 1982-10-26 | 1983-04-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |