Laser system using regenerative amplifier

Claim 2

An injection laser system utilizing a regenerative amplifier comprising: at least two separated reflector members having a cross-sectional distance of 0.2 to 10.0 meters and defining a resonator cavity having a beam waist therein; at least one spatial filter assembly means for removing phase and amplitude distortion from a high energy laser beam positioned in said cavity at substantially the beam waist of said resonator cavity; at least one amplifier means positioned intermediate a reflector member and at least one said spatial filter assembly; means for injecting at least one laser pulse into said cavity for amplification thereof by multiple passes through said cavity until maximum surface flux density is in excess of 4.5 joules/cm 2 ; and means for extracting the amplified laser pulse from the cavity.

Claim 3

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein said amplifier means utilizes a solid state amplification medium.

Claim 4

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein said amplifier means includes at least one segmented glass disk having a rare earth dopant.

Claim 5

The laser system defined in claim 3, wherein said rare earth dopant is Nd 3+ .

Claim 6

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein said reflector members are spaced 5-1000 meters apart and have a cross-sectional distance of 0.2 to 10.0 meters, and wherein said spatial filter assembly includes a pinhole forming member having a pinhole diameter of 0.01 to 20 cm.

Claim 7

The laser system defined in claim 5, wherein said pinhole diameter is 0.1 to 3.0 cm.

Claim 8

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein said spatial filter assembly includes a pinhole forming member having a pinhole diameter of 0.1 to 3 cm.

Claim 9

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein either of said pulse injecting means and said pulse extraction means includes a polarizer and a Pcokels cell positioned within said resonator cavity.

Claim 10

The laser system defined in claim 8, wherein said Pockels cell includes a plurality of alternating polarity strip transmission lines positioned between pairs of crystal bars.

Claim 11

The laser system defined in claim 9, wherein said Pockels cell additionally includes an array of fused silica wires positioned in spaced relation with respect to joints of said crystal bars.

Claim 12

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein said amplifier means includes a pair of amplifier assemblies positioned on opposite sides of at least one of said spatial filter assemblies.

Claim 13

The laser system of claim 1, wherein said amplifier means utilizes a gas amplification medium.

Claim 14

The laser system of claim 12, wherein said gas amplification medium is a repetitively pumped gaseous lasing medium.

Claim 15

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein said spatial filter assembly includes a helical member.

Claim 16

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein said spatial filter includes a multiple series of pinholes.

Claim 19

The method defined in claim 16, additionally including the step of providing the amplifier means with a medium composed of segmented solid state material.

Claim 20

The method defined in claim 16, additionally including the steps of providing a means for injecting the energy pulse into the cavity and providing a means for extracting the amplified laser pulse from the cavity wherein either of said injectors or extracting means includes a Pockels cell formed of a plurality of crystal bars having alternating polarity strip transmission lines between the crystal bars.

Claim 21

The method defined in claim 18, additionally including the step of positioning at least one shaped fused silica wire in spaced relation with respect to each joint of the Pockels cell.

Claim 22

The method defined in claim 16, additionally including the step of forming the amplifier means from a plurality of segmented Nd:glass disks.

Claim 23

The method defined in claim 20, wherein the step of forming the amplifier means also includes the step of positioning a layer of absorbing glass between adjoining segments of the disks.

Claim 24

The method defined in claim 16, wherein the step of amplifying the injected laser pulse is carried out by passing the pulse through a gaseous lasting medium within the amplifier means.

Claim 25

The method defined in claim 22, additionally including the step of repetitively pumping the gaseous lasing medium.

Claim 26

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said reflector members is comprised of a plurality of reflecting means, positioned together to form a single segmented reflector unit.

Claim 27

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein the pulse injecting means consists of a plurality of switch means positioned together to form a single segmented switch for switching the laser pulse into the cavity.

Claim 28

The laser system defined in claim 1, wherein the pulse extracting means is comprised of a plurality of switch means positioned together to form a single segmented switch for switching the laser pulse out of the cavity.

Claim 29

The method defined in claim 16 wherein the amplifying step further includes the step of reflecting the laser pulse with at least one segmented reflector.

Claim 30

The method defined in claim 16, wherein the injecting step further includes the step of providing at least one segmented switch for injecting the laser pulse.

Claim 31

The method defined in claim 16, wherein the extracting step further includes the step of providing at least one segmented switch for extracting the laser pulse.

Claim 32

The method defined in claim 17, wherein the segmented solid state material is segmented transversely to the propagation of the laser beam.

Claim 33

The method defined in claim 20, wherein the segmented Nd:glass disks are segmented transversely to the propagation of the laser beam.

Claim 34

An injection laser system utilizing a regenerative amplifier comprising: at least two separated reflector members having a cross-sectional distance of 0.2 to 10.0 meters and defining a resonator cavity having a beam waist therein; at least one spatial filter assembly means for removing phase and amplitude distortion from the beam, the spatial filter assembly means being positioned in said cavity at substantially the beam waist of said resonator cavity; at least one transversely segmented amplifier means wherein segmentations transverse to propagation of the laser beam extend in two different directions and wherein the amplifier means is positioned intermediate one of said reflector members and at least one of said spatial filter assembly means; means for injecting at least one laser pulse into said cavity for amplification thereof by multiple passes through said cavity until maximum surface flux density is in excess of 4.5 joules/cm 2 ; and means for extracting the amplified laser pulse from the cavity.

Claim 35

An injection laser system utilizing a regenerative amplifier comprising: at least two separated reflector members having a cross-sectional distance of 0.2 to 10.0 meters and defining a resonator cavity having a beam waist therein; at least one spatial filter assembly means for removing phase and amplitude distortion from the beam, the spatial filter assembly means being positioned in said cavity at substantially the beam waist of said resonator cavity; at least one transversely segmented amplifier means wherein segmentations transverse to propagation of the laser beam extend in two different directions and wherein the amplifier means is positioned intermediate one of said reflector members and at least one of said spatial filter assembly means; means for injecting at least one laser pulse into said cavity for amplification thereof by multiple passes through said cavity until maximum surface flux density is in excess of 4.5 joules/cm 2 ; and means for extracting the amplified laser pulse from the cavity.