US3729689A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Traveling wave excited gas laser
Assignee: Alcatel Lucent SAS
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Filing: 1971-12-23
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Granted: 1973-04-24
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Expires: 1991-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A gas laser in which the gaseous active medium is triggered by a plane progressive discharge wave generated by a flat electrical conductor.
Inventors
- 👤 B Godard
- 👤 B Lacour
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:41
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0971; H01S3/0973; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A traveling wave transmission line system for excitation of a laser having an active laser medium comprising: a first substantially flat, electrically conductive metallic plate; a second substantially flat, electrically conductive metallic plate separated from, and substantially parallel to, said first metallic plate and having a discharge channel for receiving an active laser medium therein and for dividing said second metallic plate into two distinct portions, each portion forming an end of a transmission line; an insulative plate sandwiched between said first and second metallic plates to form said transmission line; said second metallic plate at a first end thereof being formed as a parabola with an axis of symmetry at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said channel; a substantially point source of electric waves located at the focus of the parabola; pulse charge excitation means coupled to said first end of said transmission line and including means for shorting said line to produce said electric waves at said focus for reflection from said parabolic surface toward said channel in a plane waveform perpendicular to said axis of symmetry of said parabola.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
A traveling wave transmission line system for excitation of a laser having an active laser medium comprising: a first substantially flat, electrically conductive metallic plate; a second substantially flat, electrically conductive metallic plate separated from, and substantially parallel to, said first metallic plate and having a discharge channel for receiving an active laser medium therein and for dividing said second metallic plate into two distinct portions, each portion forming an end of a transmission line; an insulative plate sandwiched between said first and second metallic plates to form said transmission line; said second metallic plate at a first end thereof being formed as a parabola with an axis of symmetry at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said channel; a substantially point source of electric waves located at the focus of the parabola; pulse charge excitation means coupled to said first end of said transmission line and including means for shorting said line to produce said electric waves at said focus for reflection from said parabolic surface toward said channel in a plane waveform perpendicular to said axis of symmetry of said parabola.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first insulative strip on said second metallic plate and covering said channel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a second insulative strip placed in said channel and on said insulative plate so as to leave a gap between said seconD and said first insulative strips for containing the active medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the edges of said second metallic plate bordering said channel are bent away from said insulative plate and are sandwiched between said first and second insulative strips.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said channel contains the active medium, and further comprising insulative windows closing both ends of said channel and transparent to laser radiation emitted by the active medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cosine of the angle between the axis of symmetry of the parabola and the axis of said channel is equal to the ratio of the component of the speed of propagation of the current waves along the axis of symmetry of the parabola to the speed of propagation of stimulated emission along the axis of the channel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second metallic plate has at least two channels whose axes make oblique angles with the axis of symmetry of the parabola, consecutive channels being optically joined at one end so as to form an optical path zigzagging across said second metallic plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the final channel is closed by a mirror whose normal lies along said final axis of the channel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a cylindrical hole is bored in said second metallic plate at the focus of the parabola.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said second metallic plate has a wave reflector formed by an arcuate hole whose center of curvature lies at the focus of the parabola, the turning point of the parabola and arc of the circle being disposed on either side of the focus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said shorting means comprises means for piercing said insulative plate at the focus of the parabola.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said piercing means comprises a laser for directing a light pulse onto the focus of the parabola.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said insulative plate is replaceable.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said insulative plate is formed by two dielectric plates superimposed on each other and having respective cylindrical holes whose diameters are different than that of said hole in said second metallic plate, the holes in the dielectric plates being filled with removable dielectric discs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said excitation means comprises a chamber passing through a hole in said first and second metallic plates and said insulative plate, said chamber containing a gaseous medium and two electrodes having a common axis which passes through the focus of the parabola, said electrodes being connected to the respective metallic plates.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising metallic members formed on the outer surface of said chamber for connecting said electrodes to the respective metallic plates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said electrodes are equi-distant from the focus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the electric paths connecting the electrodes to said respective plates are equal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the wall of said chamber is a dielectric and the chamber side remote from the focus of the parabola presents a high impedance to an electric wave originating at the focus of the parabola so that the electric wave is propagated towards the parabola and not directly towards said channel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the said chamber has both an interior envelope and an outer envelope.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A transmission line system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said outer envelope is of a dielectric material molded on said inner envelope.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3571745A
Cited
US3571746A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-23 | 1976-10-23 | 1977-04-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-23 | 1980-10-23 | 1981-04-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-23 | 1984-10-23 | 1985-04-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |