Patent US3660777A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3660777A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Laser pulse time modulation q-switch
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1971-04-16
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Granted: 1972-05-02
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Expires: 1991-04-16
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for Q-switching a carbon dioxide laser which operates on the scanning Fabry-Perot principle to affect a laser switching. At both ends of a laser cavity are positioned 100 percent reflective mirrors perpendicular to the laser beam. A pulse time modulation Q-switch is placed in the laser cavity which produces laser output pulses of fixed amplitude and width, but of varying frequency. The pulse time modulation, Q-switch is contained in a sandwich that includes a piezoelectric crystal, a germanium wedge, one of the end mirrors, a second germanium wedge, a Fabry-Perot interferometer, and a third germanium wedge. The Fabry-Perot interferometer, which is positioned within the laser cavity, is at a slight angle to the laser beam, while the 100 percent reflective mirror is perpendicular to the laser beam. Voltage pulses applied to the piezoelectric crystal cause the Fabry-Perot interferometer to change from a highly reflective state to a highly transmissive state, whereupon lasing occurs. When the Fabry-Perot interferometer changes back to its highly reflective state, a laser pulse is fed out of the laser cavity.
Inventors
- 👤 Allen M Erickson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:27
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/11; H01S3/1123; H01S3/105; H01S3/106; H01S3/1062; H01S3/14; H01S3/22; H01S3/223; H01S3/2232
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A pulse time modulated laser system comprising: a carbon dioxide laser having a normally stimulated carbon dioxide stimulator and a pair of highly reflective end mirrors defining a laser cavity, said end mirrors being aligned to enable laser action; a Fabry-Perot interferometer positioned within said laser cavity, normally highly reflective of the laser light emitted by said carbon dioxide stimulator, and positioned off-axis to said laser light to normally prevent laser action; first means for producing mechanical shock waves in response to pulse time modulated voltage pulses; and second means for producing mechanical one of said end mirrors and mechanically coupled to said first means and to said FabryPerot interferometer, whereby a mechanical shock wave produced by said first means is mechanically transmitted to said FabryPerot interferometer, causing said Fabry-Perot interferometer to briefly become highly transmissive of said laser light and thereby produce an output light pulse from said laser cavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A pulse time modulated laser system comprising: a carbon dioxide laser having a normally stimulated carbon dioxide stimulator and a pair of highly reflective end mirrors defining a laser cavity, said end mirrors being aligned to enable laser action; a Fabry-Perot interferometer positioned within said laser cavity, normally highly reflective of the laser light emitted by said carbon dioxide stimulator, and positioned off-axis to said laser light to normally prevent laser action; first means for producing mechanical shock waves in response to pulse time modulated voltage pulses; and second means for producing mechanical one of said end mirrors and mechanically coupled to said first means and to said FabryPerot interferometer, whereby a mechanical shock wave produced by said first means is mechanically transmitted to said FabryPerot interferometer, causing said Fabry-Perot interferometer to briefly become highly transmissive of said laser light and thereby produce an output light pulse from said laser cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said first means comprises a piezoelectric crystal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said second means comprises a pair of wedges sandwiching said one of said end mirrors, said wedges being transparent to said laser light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said one of said end mirrors comprises a dielectric coating on one of said pair of wedges.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said wedges are germanium wedges.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said Fabry-Perot interferometer comprises: a support member transparent to said laser light; a pair of parallelly aligned dielectric mirrors, one of said dielectric mirrors being deposited on said second means and movable in response to said shock wave, and the other of said dielectric mirrors being deposited on said support member; and a spacer ring normally separating said pair of dielectric mirrors by an odd multiple of half wavelengths of said laser light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
A pulse time modulation Q-switch comprising: first means for producing mechanical shock waves in response to pulse time modulated voltage pulses; a highly reflective flat mirror; second means mechanically coupled to said first means for supporting said highly reflective flat mirror; and a Fabry-Perot interferometer normally highly reflective of a predetermined wavelength of light and mechanically coupled to said second means, whereby a mechanical shock wave produced by said first means is mechanically transmitted to said Fabry-Perot interferometer, causing said Fabry-Perot interferometer to briefly become highly transmissive to said predetermined wavelength of light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
93 words
A pulse time modulation Q-switch comprising: first means for producing mechanical shock waves in response to pulse time modulated voltage pulses; a highly reflective flat mirror; second means mechanically coupled to said first means for supporting said highly reflective flat mirror; and a Fabry-Perot interferometer normally highly reflective of a predetermined wavelength of light and mechanically coupled to said second means, whereby a mechanical shock wave produced by said first means is mechanically transmitted to said Fabry-Perot interferometer, causing said Fabry-Perot interferometer to briefly become highly transmissive to said predetermined wavelength of light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The Q-switch of claim 7, wherein said first means comprises a piezoelectric crystal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The Q-switch of claim 7, wherein said second means comprises a pair of wedges sandwiching said mirror and transparent to said predetermined wavelength of light.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The Q-switch of claim 9, wherein said mirror comprises a dielectric mirror deposited on a face of one of said pair of wedges.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The Q-switch of claim 9 wherein said wedges are germanium wedges.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The Q-switch of claim 7, wherein said Fabry-Perot interferometer comprises: a pair of parallelly aligned, partially reflective, flat mirrors, said pair of mirrors being non-parallelly aligned with said highly reflective flat mirror; and a spacer ring normally separating said pair of mirrors by an odd multiple of half wavelengths of said predetermined wavelength of light.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3339073A
Cited
US3473030A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-02 | 1975-11-01 | 1976-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-02 | 1979-11-01 | 1980-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-02 | 1983-11-01 | 1984-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |