Patent US3730175A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3753152A
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Electrical wave pumped pulsed laser
Assignee: United States Atomic Energy Commission
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Filing: 1972-02-02
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Granted: 1973-08-14
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Expires: 1992-02-02
Abstract
Abstract A pulsed laser wherein emission is generated from a gaseous gain medium, the gain medium being pumped by at least one traveling high voltage electromagnetic pulse having a duration too short for inducing formation of an ionization discharge in the medium. The gaseous gain medium is contained in a vessel having a pair of conductors which provide a waveguide for conducting the electromagnetic pulse through the gaseous gain medium. Pulsed laser emission is obtained in an oscillatory mode or in an amplification mode.
Inventors
- 👤 K Pettpiece
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0971; H01S3/0973; H01S3/095; H01S3/23; H01S3/2366
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for generating pulsed laser emission from a gaseous gain medium comprising the steps of: forming a longitudinally extending waveguide means for a very high voltage traveling electromagnetic pulse in a vessel means having portions thereof transmissive of stimulated emission radiations; containing a gaseous gain medium under pressure in the vessel means; and directing at least one short very high voltage traveling electromagnetic pulse having a rise time less than 10 nanosecoNds through the gaseous gain medium within the vessel means via the waveguide means producing pulsed laser emission from the gaseous gain medium without inducing formation of an ionization discharge in the medium.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for generating pulsed laser emission from a gaseous gain medium comprising the steps of: forming a longitudinally extending waveguide means for a very high voltage traveling electromagnetic pulse in a vessel means having portions thereof transmissive of stimulated emission radiations; containing a gaseous gain medium under pressure in the vessel means; and directing at least one short very high voltage traveling electromagnetic pulse having a rise time less than 10 nanosecoNds through the gaseous gain medium within the vessel means via the waveguide means producing pulsed laser emission from the gaseous gain medium without inducing formation of an ionization discharge in the medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of forming the waveguide means is accomplished by positioning a pair of electrically conductive members in spaced relation within the vessel means, and additionally including the step of forming at least a portion of the vessel means from electrically nonconductive material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of forming the waveguide means is accomplished by utilizing a pair of coaxial electrically conductive members in spaced relationship.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method defined in claim 3, wherein the step of utilizing a pair of coaxial electrically conductive members for forming the waveguide means is accomplished by one of the coaxial members defining at least part of the vessel means and the other of the coaxial members being positioned with the one coaxial member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of containing the gaseous gain medium is carried out by filling the vessel means with an explosive gaseous mixture at a pressure in the range between about 10 millimeters of mercury and about 5 atmospheres.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of directing the traveling electromagnetic pulse through the gaseous gain medium includes the step of generating a plurality of fast rise time pulses and sequentially directing the pulses through the medium in a predetermined time sequence such that the effective velocity of the traveling electromagnetic pulse down the waveguide means is equal to the speed of light in the gaseous gain medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of directing the traveling electromagnetic pulse through the gaseous gain medium includes the step of generating a fast rise time pulse having a voltage of about 600 keV and a duration less than about 5 nanoseconds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method defined in claim 1, additionally including the steps of introducing a pulse of stimulating radiation into and through the gaseous gain medium in the vessel means and amplifying the introduced stimulating radiation by the population inversion of the gaseous gain medium produced by the propagation of the traveling electromagnetic pulse through the vessel means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method defined in claim 1, additionally including the step of repetitively reflecting at least a portion of the pulsed laser emission produced by directing the traveling electromagnetic pulse through the gaseous gain medium back through the vessel means increasing the gain thereby.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
161 words
An apparatus for producing pulsed laser emission from a gaseous medium without inducing formation of an ionization discharge in the medium comprising: a vessel means; waveguide means constructed of electrically conductive members for conducting traveling electromagnetic pulses through substantially the length of said vessel means; said vessel means being provided with window-like portions transmissive of stimulated emission radiations; at least one of said conductive members being electrically grounded; at least one of said conductive members being electrically connected to a pulse generating means capable of producing short, high voltage traveling pulses having rise times less than 10 nanoseconds; said vessel means containing a gaseous gain medium under pressure; whereby at least one short, high voltage traveling electromagnetic pulse from said generating means propagates through substantially the length of said vessel means via said waveguide means, initiating a population inversion in said gaseous gain medium thereby producing a pulsed laser emission without inducing the formation of an ionization discharge in the medium.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
161 words
An apparatus for producing pulsed laser emission from a gaseous medium without inducing formation of an ionization discharge in the medium comprising: a vessel means; waveguide means constructed of electrically conductive members for conducting traveling electromagnetic pulses through substantially the length of said vessel means; said vessel means being provided with window-like portions transmissive of stimulated emission radiations; at least one of said conductive members being electrically grounded; at least one of said conductive members being electrically connected to a pulse generating means capable of producing short, high voltage traveling pulses having rise times less than 10 nanoseconds; said vessel means containing a gaseous gain medium under pressure; whereby at least one short, high voltage traveling electromagnetic pulse from said generating means propagates through substantially the length of said vessel means via said waveguide means, initiating a population inversion in said gaseous gain medium thereby producing a pulsed laser emission without inducing the formation of an ionization discharge in the medium.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said vessel means is constructed of high strength electrically nonconductive material and of cylindrical configuration, and said window-like portions thereof are located at opposite ends of said cylindrical vessel means, and wherein said conductive means comprise a pair of conductive rod-like means mounted on diametrically opposite sides of said vessel means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said vessel means constitutes one of said electrically conductive members, and said window-like portions thereof are located at opposite ends of said one of said electrically conductive members, another of said electrically conductive members being positioned coaxially within said one of said electrically conductive members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said pulse generating means includes a plurality of conductive leads operatively connected in sequence to one of said conductive members, each of said successive leads being longer in length than the preceding lead.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said pulse generating means is of the type capable of producing a fast rise time pulse having a voltage of about 600 keV and a duration of less than about 5 nanoseconds.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said gaseous gain medium within said vessel means has a pressure in the range from about 10 millimeters of mercury to about 5 atmospheres.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said gaseous gain medium is composed of an explosive gaseous mixture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus defined in claim 16, wherein said explosive gaseous mixture is composed of nitrogen-trifluoride and hydrogen in a ratio of about 6-to-1 and at a pressure of about 50-torr, wherein said electrically conductive members are spaced from each other at about two cm, and whrein said traveling electromagnetic pulse has a voltage of about 600 keV and a duration of about 2 nsec.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, additionally including reflector means positioned adjacent said window-like portions of said vessel means, at one of said reflector means being partially transmissive of the emission from excited lasing species of said gaseous gain medium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10, additionally including means for introducing at least one shaped pulse of stimulating radiation into said vessel means, whereby same is amplified by said gaseous gain medium upon the passing of a short, high voltage traveling electromagnetic pulse therethrough.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus defined in claim 19, wherein said stimulating radiation pulse introducing means includes means for generating light of an appropriate wavelength for stimulating radiative transitions in the pumped lasing species of the gain medium, light pulse-shaping means, and means for directing the shaped pulse of stimulating radiatiOn into said vessel means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-13 | 1977-02-12 | 1977-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-13 | 1981-02-12 | 1981-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-13 | 1985-02-12 | 1985-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |