US4206364A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for producing extended elongated plasmas for x-ray lasers
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1979-01-16
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Granted: 1980-06-03
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Expires: 1999-01-16
Abstract
Abstract A device for producing extended plasmas for x-ray lasers. In an evacuated using, a pair of tungsten blocks are placed just above a target surface and spaced apart to form a channel. A high power laser beam is focused to a point on the target creating a plasma between the blocks. As the plasma expands away from the target in the z-direction, the tungsten blocks confine the plasma in the y-direction and plasma species of higher stages of ionization are formed into a jet of rectangular x-y cross section in the z-direction by the blocks. The plasma remains confined in the y-dimension or is focused in this direction above the blocks where sufficient amplification occurs to provide x-ray lasing along the x-axis.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert H. Dixon
- 👤 Raymond C. Elton
- 👤 John F. Reintjes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 10:26
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05G; H05G2/00; H05G2/001; H01; H01S; H01S4/00; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/02; H05H1/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A device for producing plasmas for x-ray lasers comprising: a housing, a target material within said housing with its z-axis perpendicular to its upper surface and its x and y axes in the plane of said material. a first window in one side of said housing perpendicular to the y-axis of said target material, a second window in a second side of said housing perpendicular to the x-axis of said target material, a pair of spaced blocks positioned relative to said target with the spacing between said blocks centered on said x, z-axis and situated along the z-axis of said target material, means for evacuating said housing, laser means for producing an output for exciting said target material; and focusing means for focusing the output of said laser means to a point on said target material along the x-axis of said target material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
143 words
A device for producing plasmas for x-ray lasers comprising: a housing, a target material within said housing with its z-axis perpendicular to its upper surface and its x and y axes in the plane of said material. a first window in one side of said housing perpendicular to the y-axis of said target material, a second window in a second side of said housing perpendicular to the x-axis of said target material, a pair of spaced blocks positioned relative to said target with the spacing between said blocks centered on said x, z-axis and situated along the z-axis of said target material, means for evacuating said housing, laser means for producing an output for exciting said target material; and focusing means for focusing the output of said laser means to a point on said target material along the x-axis of said target material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as claimed in claim 1 in which: said target material is carbon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said pair of spaced blocks are formed of tungsten.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein: said pair of spaced blocks are formed of tungsten.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said focusing means is said lens.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein: said pair of blocks are 5 mm in height, and 12 mm in length.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein: said pair of blocks are 5 mm in height and 12 mm in length.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein: said pair of blocks are spaced 2 mm apart with the center of the spacing along the x-axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said pair of blocks are spaced 2 mm apart with the center of the spacing along the x-axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as claimed in claim 9 wherein: said laser means is a Nd: glass laser with a 20-30 J, 20-30 nsec pulse output.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein: said housing is evacuated to a pressure below 50 mTorr.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein; said housing is evacuated to a pressure below 50 mTorr, and a gas is admitted into said housing to a pressure of from 1-10 Torr.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 12 wherein: said gas admitted into said housing is helium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 13 wherein: said gas is admitted into said housing to a pressure of about 1-10 Torr.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as claimed in claim 14 in which: said target material is carbon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as claimed in claim 15 wherein: said pair of spaced blocks are formed of tungsten.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein: said pair of spaced blocks are formed of tungsten.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as claimed in claim 13 wherein: said focusing means is said lens.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 16 wherein: said pair of blocks are 5 mm in height and 12 mm in length.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 17 wherein: said pair of blocks are 5 mm in height and 12 mm in length.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 20 wherein: said pair of blocks are spaced 2 mm apart with the center of the spacing along the x-axis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 19 wherein: said pair of blocks are spaced 2 mm apart with the center of the spacing along the x-axis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as claimed in claim 22 wherein: said laser means is a Nd: glass laser with a 20-30 J, 20-30 nsec pulse output.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 23 wherein: said housing is evacuated to a pressure of below 50 mTorr.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
144 words
Means for controlling the geometrical configuration of a plasma produced by irradiation, by a high-power laser pulse, of an x-ray target in an evacuated enclosure having a window therein for passage of x-rays therethrough, the irradiated surface of the target being in the x-y plane and the normal to the window being along the x-axis, the irradiating pulse being projected onto the target along the z-axis, said controlling means comprising: channeling means located adjacent to the irradiated surface of said x-ray target forming a three-dimensional channel above said target for the plasma produced by the irradiation, said channel providing space for unlimited plasma expansion in the x-and z-directions above said target but limiting plasma expansion in the y-direction, the irradiating pulse being projected onto the target through said channel, x-rays formed by said plasma propagating in the direction of said x-axis through said window.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
144 words
Means for controlling the geometrical configuration of a plasma produced by irradiation, by a high-power laser pulse, of an x-ray target in an evacuated enclosure having a window therein for passage of x-rays therethrough, the irradiated surface of the target being in the x-y plane and the normal to the window being along the x-axis, the irradiating pulse being projected onto the target along the z-axis, said controlling means comprising: channeling means located adjacent to the irradiated surface of said x-ray target forming a three-dimensional channel above said target for the plasma produced by the irradiation, said channel providing space for unlimited plasma expansion in the x-and z-directions above said target but limiting plasma expansion in the y-direction, the irradiating pulse being projected onto the target through said channel, x-rays formed by said plasma propagating in the direction of said x-axis through said window.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
Controlling means as in claim 25, wherein: said x-ray target is made from carbon.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
47 words
Controlling means as in claim 25, wherein said channeling means comprises: a pair of metallic blocks, each having at least one flat surface, the flat surfaces being spaced from each other and paralleling each other to form a channel whose longitudinal axis lies in the x-axis direction.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
Controlling means as in claim 27, wherein: the y-axis dimension of the channel is about 2 mm., the x-axis dimension about 12 mm., and the z-axis dimension about 5 mm.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
Controlling means as in claim 27, wherein: the blocks are made from tungsten.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
Controlling means as in claim 27, wherein: the blocks are rectangular in shape.
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) | 1983-06-03 | 1983-12-03 | 1984-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-06-03 | 1987-12-03 | 1988-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-06-03 | 1991-12-03 | 1992-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |