Induced absorption elements

Claim 2

In a communication system an apparatus including an element comprising an active medium, said active medium being characterized by quantum mechanical energy levels, together with first excitation means for exciting said active medium so as to increase population at at least one elevated quantum mechanical energy level to a population above that evidenced by the said medium when the medium is at thermodynamic equilibrium, the increased population at the said elevated level resulting in a "metastable state", said metastable state having an associated population lifetime defined as the time duration of such increased population at such metastable state with such defined time terminating upon spontaneous relaxation, characterized in that said apparatus includes a second means designated "associated radiation means" for making associated radiation incident upon said element, said associated radiation including energy of a quantum level to further excite the said medium from the metastable state to a first higher excited state whereby at least a portion of such associated radiation is absorbed with an associated extinction ratio greater than 99%, together with third means reponsive to a change in radiation amplitude of said associated radiation due to absorption resulting from excitation from said metastable state to the said first higher excited state, the apparatus further characterized in that the population of said metastable state varies in time over a time period of approximately 10 picoseconds in a manner representative of intelligence, whereby the said associated radiation is altered in a manner representative of the said intelligence, said intelligence being thereby replicated at the said third means.

Claim 3

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said first excitation means comprises a radiation means.

Claim 4

Apparatus of claim 2 in which said radiation means emits radiation including energy of a quantum level to produce direct excitation to said metastable state.

Claim 5

Apparatus of claim 3 in which the said metastable state and the said first higher excited state are within a single multiplet.

Claim 6

Apparatus of claim 4 in which the single multiplet is the ground state singlet multiplet.

Claim 7

Apparatus of claim 5 in which the energy difference between the said metastable state and first higher excited state corresponds with radiation of a wavelength beyond that of radiation contained within the visible spectrum.

Claim 8

Apparatus of claim 6 in which the said wavelength is in the infrared spectrum.

Claim 9

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said first excitation means includes a first portion for increasing energy from the said metastable state to a second higher excited state, which second higher excited state is at an energy level above that of the said metastable state.

Claim 10

Apparatus of claim 8 in which the said medium is characterized by energy levels which permit reduction of energy from said second higher excited state to said metastable state by relaxation.

Claim 11

Apparatus of claim 9 in which relaxation includes at least one radiationless transition.

Claim 12

Apparatus of claim 10 in which the said medium is characterized by a permitted transition from said second higher excited state to a metastable state of a multiplicity differing from that containing the said second higher excited state.

Claim 13

Apparatus of claim 11 in which said metastable state and said first higher excited state are both quantum mechanical triplet states.

Claim 14

Apparatus of claim 12 in which excitation from said metastable state to said first higher excited state is a single photon event.

Claim 15

Apparatus of claim 12 in which excitation from said metastable state to said first higher excited state is a multiphoton event.

Claim 16

Apparatus of claim 12 in which the said associated radiation means emits radiation characterized by a rise and fall in amplitude of a time interval less than that of the said population lifetime.

Claim 17

Apparatus of claim 15 in which the said associated radiation means produces pulsed radiation of such pulse rate that more than one pulse is produced within the said population lifetime.

Claim 18

Apparatus of claim 12 in which the said associated radiation means is a cw radiation source.

Claim 19

Apparatus of claim 8 in which said excitation means produces radiation including a second portion for stimulating a reduction in energy from said second higher excited state to said metastable state.

Claim 20

Apparatus of claim 18 in which said second portion produces stimulated emission.

Claim 21

Apparatus of claim 19 in which said second portion is pulsed and in which means is provided for time selection so as to produce stimulated emission of wavelength dependent upon such time selection.

Claim 22

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said second means is a cw radiation source.

Claim 23

Apparatus of claim 21 in which the third means includes a binary detector.

Claim 24

Apparatus of claim 21 in which the said third means includes an analog detector.

Claim 25

Apparatus of claim 21 in which the said second means comprises a cw laser.

Claim 26

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said second means is a pulse source.

Claim 27

Apparatus of claim 25 in which said pulse source is a pulsed laser.

Claim 28

Apparatus of claim 26 in which said pulsed laser is a mode-locked laser.

Claim 29

Apparatus of claim 1 in which the said first excitation means populates said metastable state in a time varying manner representative of information, whereby such information is replicated at the said third means as a corresponding amplitude variation.

Claim 30

Apparatus of claim 28 in which the said third means comprises a digital detector.

Claim 31

Apparatus of claim 28 in which the said third means comprises an analog detector.

Claim 32

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said excitation means includes a medium for increasing wavelength content via Stokes and anti-Stokes transformations and in which said third means includes wavelength selecting element.

Claim 33

Apparatus of claim 1 in which said third means comprises a transmission medium.

Claim 34

In a communication system, an apparatus including an element comprising an active medium, said active medium being characterized by quantum mechanical energy levels, together with first excitation means for exciting said active medium so as to increase population a at least one elevated quantum mechanical energy level to a population above that evidenced by the said medium when the medium is at thermodynamic equilibrium, the increased population at the said elevated level resulting in "metastable state", said metastable state having an associated population lifetime defined as the time duration of such increased population at such metastable state with such defined time terminating upon spontaneous relaxation, characterized in that said apparatus includes a second means designated "associated radiation means" for making associated radiation incident upon said element, said associated radiation including energy of a quantum level to further excite the said medium from the metastable state to a first higher excited state whereby at least a portion of such associated radiation is absorbed, together with third means responsive to a change in radiation amplitude of said associated radiation due to absorption resulting from excitation from said metastable state to the said first higher excited state, the apparatus further characterized in that the population of said metastable state varies in time in a manner representative of intelligence, whereby the said associated radiation is altered in a manner representative of the said intelligence, said intelligence being thereby replicated at the said third means, the apparatus further characterized in that said excitation means includes a medium for increasing wavelength content via Stokes and anti-Stokes transformations and in which said third means includes a wavelength selecting element.

Claim 35

In a communication system, an apparatus including an element comprising an active medium, said active medium being characterized by quantum mechanical energy levels, together with first excitation means for exciting said active medium so as to increase population a at least one elevated quantum mechanical energy level to a population above that evidenced by the said medium when the medium is at thermodynamic equilibrium, the increased population at the said elevated level resulting in "metastable state", said metastable state having an associated population lifetime defined as the time duration of such increased population at such metastable state with such defined time terminating upon spontaneous relaxation, characterized in that said apparatus includes a second means designated "associated radiation means" for making associated radiation incident upon said element, said associated radiation including energy of a quantum level to further excite the said medium from the metastable state to a first higher excited state whereby at least a portion of such associated radiation is absorbed, together with third means responsive to a change in radiation amplitude of said associated radiation due to absorption resulting from excitation from said metastable state to the said first higher excited state, the apparatus further characterized in that the population of said metastable state varies in time in a manner representative of intelligence, whereby the said associated radiation is altered in a manner representative of the said intelligence, said intelligence being thereby replicated at the said third means, the apparatus further characterized in that said excitation means includes a medium for increasing wavelength content via Stokes and anti-Stokes transformations and in which said third means includes a wavelength selecting element.