High-pressure laser having thermal-pumping means

Assignee: THOMAS A BARR JR

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Filing: 1967-11-27

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Granted: 1971-07-20

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Expires: 1987-11-27

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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus, including an optical cavity, in which a thermally heated gas is mixed with a relatively cold gas of different chemical or isotopic composition. The cold gas is disposed for excitation (pumping) by the hotter gas for providing lasing action. In the present invention the gases are mixed at their respective equilibrium temperatures, in a ratio which will provide the necessary population inversion to produce coherent energy. The apparatus includes a housing having first and second sections. The pumping gas is admitted and heated in the first section and the second or lasing gas is mixed with the heated gas in a mixing chamber and expanded into a lasing chamber in a second section of the housing. Optical feedback means, such as a pair of mirrors are disposed at opposite ends of the second housing section. One of the mirrors covers the entire cross section of the housing to reflect coherent energy to the second mirror which may be partially transmitting or provided with a slit therein to direct the coherent energy from the housing. The interaction of the gases in the mixing and lasing chambers results in an inversion of population of energy levels in the gases to provide optical gain at a frequency or frequencies corresponding to differences in energies of levels which are totally or partially inverted. The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

Inventors

👤 Charles M Cason
👤 James F Perkins
👤 Thomas A Barr Jr

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction US

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 18:59

CPC Classifications

H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/095

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8

Claim 1

Independent Claim 11 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first gas is nitrogen.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 12 words

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said second gas is carbon dioxide.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 49 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 including means for heating said nitrogen, injection means for injecting said carbon dioxide into said mixinG region; and, nozzle means communicating between said first and second sections of said housing, said nozzle means disposed for expanding the mixed gases into said second housing section.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 180 words

A continuous flow gaseous laser comprising apparatus for receiving nitrogen pumping gas and carbon dioxide lasing gas therein for mixing in a field-free mixing region at their respective thermal equilibrium temperatures in a ratio to provide a population inversion in said lasing gas for producing substantially coherent energy, said apparatus including: means for exciting said nitrogen and carbon dioxide to said thermal equilibrium temperatures; a housing provided with a first section for receiving said gases, said first section being said field-free mixing region for pumping of said lasing gas, and, a second section disposed in communication with said first section to receive said gases therefrom, said second section further including optical feedback means disposed for emitting said coherent energy from said second section responsive to said population inversion; and, source means for supplying said gases, said source means including a fuel disposed for chemical combustion for producing said carbon dioxide, and a source of air for providing said nitrogen, said air disposed for heating by the combustion of said fuel for providing the respective thermal equilibrium temperatures in said gases.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 90 words

Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said housing includes a heating chamber for heating said air, said heating chamber communicating with said mixing region for passage of heated air thereto, and, a combustion chamber for the combustion of said fuel, said combustion chamber communicating with said mixing region for passage of said carbon dioxide thereto responsive to the chemical combustion, said gases disposed for passage into said second section of said housing responsive to mixing in said mixing chamber; and exhaust means disposed in said second section of said housing.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 54 words

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said optical feedback means includes a first mirror mounted at one end of said second section of said housing and covering the entire cross section thereof; and, a second mirror mounted at the opposite end of said second section of said housing for transmitting said coherent energy therethrough.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said second window is provided with a slit for transmitting said coherent energy therethrough.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 167 words

A continuous flow gaseous laser comprising apparatus for receiving nitrogen pumping gas and carbon dioxide lasing gas therein for mixing in a field-free mixing region at their respective thermal equilibrium temperatures in a ratio to provide a population inversion in said lasing gas for producing substantially coherent energy, said apparatus including: means for exciting said nitrogen and carbon dioxide to said thermal equilibrium temperatures; a housing provided with a first section for receiving said gases, said first section being said field-free mixing region for pumping of said lasing gas, and, a second section disposed in communication with said first section to receive said mixed gases therefrom, said second section further including optical feedback means disposed for emitting said coherent energy from said second section responsive to said population inversion; and source means for supplying said gases, said source means including a gas generator for decomposing sodium azide for producing said nitrogen; and injector means for injecting carbon dioxide into said mixing region for mixing with said nitrogen.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3302127A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-07-19	1975-01-18	1975-07-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-07-19	1979-01-18	1979-07-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-07-19	1983-01-18	1983-07-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

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