US3862413A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for providing pulses having electronically variable characteristics
Assignee: RTX Corp
•
Filing: 1972-12-15
•
Granted: 1975-01-21
•
Expires: 1992-12-15
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing optical and electronic pulses having various intensity profiles and durations up to several hundred picoseconds is disclosed. Nominally picosecond pulses of linearly polarized, electromagnetic energy from a mode-locked laser are scattered internal of a birefringent crystal by a colinear acoustic signal of preselected characteristics to produce the output pulses. The acoustic signal is initiated with a radio frequency (RF) electric signal which is electronically controlled and variable. In an alternate embodiment, the optical output is passed through an optical detector and converted into an electrical output signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael J Brienza
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/11; G02F1/113
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
An optically variable pulse generation system in which input pulses of polarized laser energy are scattered from pulses of acoustic energy to provide output pulses of optical energy which are orthogonally polarized with respect to, and travel in a direction opPosite to the input optical pulses, the output pulses having selectably variable intensity profiles and durations in the subnanosecond range, the system comprising: acousto-optic means including a length of an acousto-optic medium which is optically anisotropic and has a longitudinal axis extending along its length; means for providing polarized pulsed electromagnetic radiation which is the source of input laser energy and which is aligned so that the input laser energy passes through the medium along the longitudinal axis; means for providing RF electric signals having selectively variable frequency intensity and duration characteristics; and means responsive to the RF electric signals for providing continuously variable acoustic signals which propagate internal of the medium along the longitudinal axis, the acoustic signal means being fixedly attached to the medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
An optically variable pulse generation system in which input pulses of polarized laser energy are scattered from pulses of acoustic energy to provide output pulses of optical energy which are orthogonally polarized with respect to, and travel in a direction opPosite to the input optical pulses, the output pulses having selectably variable intensity profiles and durations in the subnanosecond range, the system comprising: acousto-optic means including a length of an acousto-optic medium which is optically anisotropic and has a longitudinal axis extending along its length; means for providing polarized pulsed electromagnetic radiation which is the source of input laser energy and which is aligned so that the input laser energy passes through the medium along the longitudinal axis; means for providing RF electric signals having selectively variable frequency intensity and duration characteristics; and means responsive to the RF electric signals for providing continuously variable acoustic signals which propagate internal of the medium along the longitudinal axis, the acoustic signal means being fixedly attached to the medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention according to claim 1 including means for synchronizing the arrivals of both the input laser energy and the acoustic signals at the medium to allow the laser energy to interact with the acoustic signals internal of the medium and to provide resonant scattering of output pulses of optical energy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein the means for providing the input laser energy is a mode locked laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention according to claim 2 wherein the acousto-optic means comprises: an optically anisotropic medium; means for polarizing the input laser energy; and means for optically separating the pulsed input energy from the output pulse.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention according to claim 4 including means for converting the optical pulses into electrical signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein the acousto-optic means includes a plurality of discrete media.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
127 words
The method of producing optical pulses having continuously variable intensity profiles and durations in the subnanosecond range including the steps of: providing pulses of polarized electromagnetic radiation in the form of input laser energy; providing acoustic signals which are continuously variable with respect to intensity profile and duration, in a length of an optically anisotropic medium having a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the medium; and injecting both the acoustic signals and the input optical pulses into the medium in a longitudinal direction to produce a resonant backscattering of the input optical pulses from the acoustic signals to cause optical output pulses from the medium, the output pulses having intensity profiles and durations which correspond to the intensity profiles and durations of the acoustic signals.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
127 words
The method of producing optical pulses having continuously variable intensity profiles and durations in the subnanosecond range including the steps of: providing pulses of polarized electromagnetic radiation in the form of input laser energy; providing acoustic signals which are continuously variable with respect to intensity profile and duration, in a length of an optically anisotropic medium having a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the medium; and injecting both the acoustic signals and the input optical pulses into the medium in a longitudinal direction to produce a resonant backscattering of the input optical pulses from the acoustic signals to cause optical output pulses from the medium, the output pulses having intensity profiles and durations which correspond to the intensity profiles and durations of the acoustic signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3055258A
Cited
US3330956A
Cited
US3539245A
Cited
US3573465A
Cited
US3661441A
Cited
US3638024A
Cited
US3711823A
Cited
US3679288A
Cited
US3761716A
Cited
US3727062A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |