Patent US4238741A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4238741A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Technique for generating 14 and 16 micron CO2 laser radiation
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1977-12-22
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Granted: 1980-12-09
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Expires: 1997-12-22
Abstract
Abstract The direct electrical discharge excitation, pulsed or CW, of a laser gas medium consisting of CO 2 :N 2 :He present in the approximate ratio of 1:2:25 at a total gas pressure of between approximately 8 and 12 Torr and an operating temperature between approximately 125° K. and 150° K. supports 16 micron laser radiation on the 02 0 0→01 1 0 CO 2 vibrational transition, and 14 micron laser radiation on the 10 0 0→01 1 0 CO 2 vibrational transition.
Inventors
- 👤 William H. Kasner
- 👤 Vincent A. Toth
- 👤 Lyn D. Pleasance
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 05:50
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/14; H01S3/22; H01S3/223; H01S3/2232
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
325 words
In a method of operating a CO 2 gas laser apparatus to produce a 16 micron laser radiation wherein the gas laser medium consists of a composition of CO 2 , N 2 and He with N 2 functioning as an energizing gas constituent to excite the CO 2 molecules via collisional transfer, including the steps of electrically exciting the CO 2 gas laser medium to populate the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level with excited CO 2 molecules to achieve a population inversion between the 00 0 1 and 02 0 0 vibrational energy levels of the CO 2 molecule, transferring the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level to the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level to achieve a population inversion between the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, and extracting 16 micron laser radiation on the basis of the population inversion between the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, wherein the He gas constituent functions to depopulate the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule to enhance said population inversion, the improvements comprising, mixing said laser gas composition of CO 2 :N 2 :He in a ratio of approximately 1:2:25 allowing for a ±2 variation in any one of said gas constituents, maintaining a laser gas pressure sufficient to support electrical discharge in said laser gas composition, cooling said laser gas composition to a temperature in the range of approximately 125° K. and 230° K., and delaying the transfer of the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 level to the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule for a time following the electrical excitation of the laser gas composition being in a range between approximately 0.1 milliseconds and 5 milliseconds.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
325 words
In a method of operating a CO 2 gas laser apparatus to produce a 16 micron laser radiation wherein the gas laser medium consists of a composition of CO 2 , N 2 and He with N 2 functioning as an energizing gas constituent to excite the CO 2 molecules via collisional transfer, including the steps of electrically exciting the CO 2 gas laser medium to populate the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level with excited CO 2 molecules to achieve a population inversion between the 00 0 1 and 02 0 0 vibrational energy levels of the CO 2 molecule, transferring the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level to the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level to achieve a population inversion between the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, and extracting 16 micron laser radiation on the basis of the population inversion between the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, wherein the He gas constituent functions to depopulate the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule to enhance said population inversion, the improvements comprising, mixing said laser gas composition of CO 2 :N 2 :He in a ratio of approximately 1:2:25 allowing for a ±2 variation in any one of said gas constituents, maintaining a laser gas pressure sufficient to support electrical discharge in said laser gas composition, cooling said laser gas composition to a temperature in the range of approximately 125° K. and 230° K., and delaying the transfer of the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 level to the 02 0 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule for a time following the electrical excitation of the laser gas composition being in a range between approximately 0.1 milliseconds and 5 milliseconds.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
In a method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pressure of said laser gas composition is maintained between approximately 5 and 20 Torr.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
In a method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the laser gas composition is cooled to a temperature between approximately 125° K. and 150° K.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
In a method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said delay is for a time between approximately 1 and 1.5 milliseconds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
322 words
In a method of operating a CO 2 gas laser apparatus to produce 14 micron laser radiation wherein the gas laser medium consists of a composition of CO 2 , N 2 and He with N 2 functioning as an energizing gas constituent to excite the CO 2 molecules via collisional transfer, including the steps of electrically exciting the CO 2 gas laser medium to populate the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level with excited CO 2 molecules to achieve a population inversion between the 00 0 1 and 10 0 0 vibrational energy levels of the CO 2 molecule, transferring the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level to the 10 0 0 vibrational energy level to achieve a population inversion between the 10 0 0 vibrational level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, and extracting 14 micron laser radiation on the basis of the population inversion between the 10 0 0 vibrational energy level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, wherein the He gas constituent functions to depopulate the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule to enhance said population inversion, the improvement comprising, mixing said laser gas composition of CO 2 :N 2 :He in a ratio of approximately 1:2:25 allowing for ±2 variation in any one of said gas constituents, maintaining a laser gas pressure sufficient to support electrical discharge in said laser gas composition, cooling said laser gas composition to a temperature in the range of approximately 125° K. and 230° K., and delaying the transfer of the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 level to the 10 0 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule for a time following the electrical excitation of the laser gas composition being in a range between approximately 0.1 milliseconds and 5 milliseconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
322 words
In a method of operating a CO 2 gas laser apparatus to produce 14 micron laser radiation wherein the gas laser medium consists of a composition of CO 2 , N 2 and He with N 2 functioning as an energizing gas constituent to excite the CO 2 molecules via collisional transfer, including the steps of electrically exciting the CO 2 gas laser medium to populate the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level with excited CO 2 molecules to achieve a population inversion between the 00 0 1 and 10 0 0 vibrational energy levels of the CO 2 molecule, transferring the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 vibrational energy level to the 10 0 0 vibrational energy level to achieve a population inversion between the 10 0 0 vibrational level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, and extracting 14 micron laser radiation on the basis of the population inversion between the 10 0 0 vibrational energy level and the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule, wherein the He gas constituent functions to depopulate the 01 1 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule to enhance said population inversion, the improvement comprising, mixing said laser gas composition of CO 2 :N 2 :He in a ratio of approximately 1:2:25 allowing for ±2 variation in any one of said gas constituents, maintaining a laser gas pressure sufficient to support electrical discharge in said laser gas composition, cooling said laser gas composition to a temperature in the range of approximately 125° K. and 230° K., and delaying the transfer of the excited CO 2 molecules from the 00 0 1 level to the 10 0 0 vibrational energy level of the CO 2 molecule for a time following the electrical excitation of the laser gas composition being in a range between approximately 0.1 milliseconds and 5 milliseconds.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
In a method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pressure of said laser gas composition is maintained between approximately 5 and 20 Torr.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
In a method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the laser gas composition is cooled to a temperature between approximately 125° K. and 150° K.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
In a method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said delay is for a time between approximately 1 and 1.5 milliseconds.
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) | 1983-12-09 | 1984-06-09 | 1984-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-09 | 1988-06-09 | 1988-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-09 | 1992-06-09 | 1992-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |