US3886480A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for obtaining very high energy laser pulses: photon cyclotron
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-04-12
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1993-04-12
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus is arranged in selected embodiments of several combinations, each sometimes being referred to as a system, and each embodiment establishing a large enclosable chamber containing a laser energy reacting medium through which a laser beam is created. When laser energy pulses of such a beam are created, they are guided in a continuous path using reflectors in this chamber, and they receive supplemental energy units from multiple spaced laser pumps. Each laser pump is effective in respect to its own inverted population laser energy source, and each laser pump is triggered by an overall excitation control system. The laser beam is thereby supplemented to a higher level at each laser pump. Yet at all times the laser energy reacting medium remains at a level below super radiance. A working unit or working pulse of a laser beam is allowed to escape from each large enclosable chamber through an escape exit only when a preselected very high energy level is reached. The escape exit of this chamber may be designed to be destroyed by the exiting high level pulse energy of the laser beam. Also an escape exit may be opened upon the operation of a piezoelectric decoupler.
Inventors
- 👤 Victor Vali
- 👤 Reuben S Krogstad
- 👤 Raymond Goldstein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:32
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/07; H01S3/073; H01S3/076; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0975; H01S3/10; H01S3/105; H01S3/11; H01S3/1123; H01S3/095; H01S3/0951; H01S3/0953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, comprising: a. arranging a large chamber, the chamber having multiple internal reflecting means to guide a laser beam in a continuous path in the chamber until an escape energy level is reached, the chamber further having an escape exit means which remains closed until opened at an escape energy level of a working unit of a very high energy laser pulse; b. arranging multiple spaced laser pumps along the chamber and in communication with the laser beam in the continuous path in the chamber, each laser pump related to an inverted population of a laser energy source; c. arranging an excitation control system to trigger, in a selected sequence, the multiple spaced laser pumps arranged along the continuous path chamber; d. placing within the continuous path chamber a laser energy reacting medium; and e. supplying energy to the excitation control system to timely operate the laser pumps as their respective laser pulse is initiated and thereafter returns to its respective laser inverted population volume which adds a laser energy increment to compensate for reflective losses and to exceed the then occurring laser pulse level to increase the resulting laser pulse to be pumped at the follow on laser inverted population volume, and yet at all times, the laser reacting medium is kept at a level which is below super radiance.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, comprising: a. arranging a large chamber, the chamber having multiple internal reflecting means to guide a laser beam in a continuous path in the chamber until an escape energy level is reached, the chamber further having an escape exit means which remains closed until opened at an escape energy level of a working unit of a very high energy laser pulse; b. arranging multiple spaced laser pumps along the chamber and in communication with the laser beam in the continuous path in the chamber, each laser pump related to an inverted population of a laser energy source; c. arranging an excitation control system to trigger, in a selected sequence, the multiple spaced laser pumps arranged along the continuous path chamber; d. placing within the continuous path chamber a laser energy reacting medium; and e. supplying energy to the excitation control system to timely operate the laser pumps as their respective laser pulse is initiated and thereafter returns to its respective laser inverted population volume which adds a laser energy increment to compensate for reflective losses and to exceed the then occurring laser pulse level to increase the resulting laser pulse to be pumped at the follow on laser inverted population volume, and yet at all times, the laser reacting medium is kept at a level which is below super radiance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
204 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, comprising: a. means defining a large chamber, tHe chamber having multiple internal reflecting means to guide a laser beam in a continuous path until an escape energy level is reached, also having an escape exit means which remains closed until opened at an escape energy level of a working unit of a very high energy laser pulse; and containing a laser energy reacting medium; b. multiple spaced laser pumps mounted along the large chamber, each laser pump being positioned with respect to an inverted population of a laser energy source; c. an excitation control system connected to the multiple spaced laser pumps to trigger energy releases to them in a selected sequence so their respective laser pulse is first initiated, and thereafter upon its return, it is again given energy from this respective laser inverted population volume, so the added laser energy increment compensates for reflective losses and adds energy to exceed the then occurring laser pulse energy level to increase the resulting pulse energy to be pumped at the follow on inverted population volume, keeping at all times the laser energy reacting medium at a level which is below super radiance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
204 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, comprising: a. means defining a large chamber, tHe chamber having multiple internal reflecting means to guide a laser beam in a continuous path until an escape energy level is reached, also having an escape exit means which remains closed until opened at an escape energy level of a working unit of a very high energy laser pulse; and containing a laser energy reacting medium; b. multiple spaced laser pumps mounted along the large chamber, each laser pump being positioned with respect to an inverted population of a laser energy source; c. an excitation control system connected to the multiple spaced laser pumps to trigger energy releases to them in a selected sequence so their respective laser pulse is first initiated, and thereafter upon its return, it is again given energy from this respective laser inverted population volume, so the added laser energy increment compensates for reflective losses and adds energy to exceed the then occurring laser pulse energy level to increase the resulting pulse energy to be pumped at the follow on inverted population volume, keeping at all times the laser energy reacting medium at a level which is below super radiance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, comprising in addition, an energy source for the excitation control systems.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the escape exit means comprises a reflective material which will cease to reflect laser pulse energy when it reaches a preselected very high energy level and therefore allow the very high energy laser pulse to escape as a working unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 4, having in addition, when the laser energy reacting medium is a gas, a mechanical valve means to close the large chamber immediately after the escape of the working unit of a very high energy laser pulse to prevent any continuing harm to the laser energy reacting gaseous medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, when the laser energy reacting medium is a gas, wherein a feed mechanism supplies the multiple internal reflecting means which guide the laser beam in a continuous path, whereby, as said reflecting means are depleted, they are continuously replaced immediately following the reflection of a laser pulse, as the feed mechanism is operated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said multiple internal reflecting means comprise metallic strip materials and said feed mechanism supplies the strip materials as the feed mechanism is operated, the strip materials continuously being moved through the reflecting locations where their reflective properties are sufficiently destroyed upon the reflection of each laser pulse to require their replacement during the operation of this apparatus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said feed mechanism comprises powered rollers for moving said metallic strip materials into and out of their reflecting locations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the metallic strip comprises a discrete length of reflective material which terminates during operation of the feed mechanism to thereby open the exit and permit the escape of the working unit of the very high energy laser pulse.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the large chamber comprises two long pipes connected together at their ends by glass prisms and the laser energy reacting medium in the two long pipes is a gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the large chamber comprises four pipes arranged in perpendicular pairs, two being loNger and parallel, and two being shorter and parallel, and incorporating mirrors in effective corner locations, one of said mirrors serving as an exit when a very high energy laser pulse is created causing its destruction, and the laser energy reacting medium in the four pipes is a gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 11, having in addition, a mechanical valve means to close the chamber immediately after the escape of the working unit of a very high energy laser pulse by destroying the mirror located at one of the corner locations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the conner mirrors are four in number and one mirror of the four is thinner than the others to be the one to be destroyed allowing the escape of the working unit of a very high energy laser pulse.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 10, and further comprising an outside laser oscillator and a piezoelectric crystal decoupler, said decoupler being situated adjacent one of the glass prisms in said chamber, whereby a pulse of laser energy may be introduced into said chamber to start said apparatus by changing the gap distance between a face of said decoupler and a face of said prism to optically couple said decoupler to said prism.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 14, wherein a second piezoelectric crystal decoupler is situated adjacent a second one of said glass prisms to extract a working unit of a very high energy laser pulse when said second decoupler is moved to decrease the gap distance between a face of said second decoupler and a face of said second prism to thereby optically couple said second decoupler to said second prism.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spaced laser pumps are flash tube units.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spaced laser pumps are gas discharge units.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spaced laser pumps are radio frequency discharge units.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spaced laser pumps are microwave units.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spaced laser pumps are pressure changing units.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first means defines a rectangular chamber having an axis which circumscribes a rectangular configuration to provide a continuous path for the laser beam.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first means defines a triangular chamber having an axis which circumscribes a triangular configuration to provide a continuous path for the laser beam.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, comprising in addition, an outside laser for introducing a laser pulse into the laser energy reacting medium in said chamber to start said apparatus.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2 wherein the large chamber is a polygon in which the continuous path for the laser beam is provided.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spaced laser pumps are gas dynamic units.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spaced laser pumps are outside pumping lasers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus For increasing the energy of laser pulses to very high levels, as claimed in claim 2, including an inside mirror in the chamber to redirect an incoming starting laser pulse along the optical axis of said chamber the inside mirror including an electrical energy means to destroy this inside mirror immediately after the pulse is redirected and thereby clear the path for the laser beam within the chamber.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy level of a laser pulse comprising: means defining a chamber; a laser medium enclosed in the chamber; a plurality of laser pumping sections operable to intermittently pump the laser medium in the chamber adjacent each laser pumping section; an excitation control system to trigger, in a selected sequence, the laser pumping sections; means for introducing a laser pulse in the chamber; and means for selectively triggering the pumping sections so as to increase the energy level of the laser pulse.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus for increasing the energy level of a laser pulse comprising: means defining a chamber; a laser medium enclosed in the chamber; a plurality of laser pumping sections operable to intermittently pump the laser medium in the chamber adjacent each laser pumping section; an excitation control system to trigger, in a selected sequence, the laser pumping sections; means for introducing a laser pulse in the chamber; and means for selectively triggering the pumping sections so as to increase the energy level of the laser pulse.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for increasing the energy level of laser pulses comprising the steps of: placing reflecting means with a polygonal-shaped chamber so as to guide a laser beam in a continuous path through the chamber; confining a laser medium within the chamber; spacing laser pumps along the chamber so as to pump the laser medium therein; interconnecting each laser pump with an excitation control system to trigger the laser pumps in a selected sequence; initiating a pulse of laser radiation in the chamber; and selectively exciting the laser medium in the chamber with the laser pumps so as to increase the energy level of the laser pulse.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for increasing the energy level of laser pulses comprising the steps of: placing reflecting means with a polygonal-shaped chamber so as to guide a laser beam in a continuous path through the chamber; confining a laser medium within the chamber; spacing laser pumps along the chamber so as to pump the laser medium therein; interconnecting each laser pump with an excitation control system to trigger the laser pumps in a selected sequence; initiating a pulse of laser radiation in the chamber; and selectively exciting the laser medium in the chamber with the laser pumps so as to increase the energy level of the laser pulse.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3398376A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |