Method and apparatus for population inversion

Claim 1

A method for population inversion comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons in a bounded volume, each of the electrons located at a site and having at least four energy levels, the energy levels including a ground level and first and second excited state levels, with substantially equal energy spacing between the ground level and the first excited state level and between the first and second excited state levels, and having energy transfer effected between electrons on neighboring sites; and pumping the electrons from one of the excited state energy levels on a first site to the highest energy level at the first site, such that subsequent decay of the excitation provides emission of photons and such that energy transferred between the first site and a second site induces a population of the excited state levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 2

A method for population inversion comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons in a bounded volume, each of the electrons located at a site and having at least four energy levels, the energy levels including a ground level and first and second excited state levels, with substantially equal energy spacing between the ground level and the first excited state level and between the first and second excited state levels, and having energy transfer effected between electrons on neighboring sites; and pumping the electrons from one of the excited state energy levels on a first site to the highest energy level at the first site, such that subsequent decay of the excitation provides emission of photons and such that energy transferred between the first site and a second site induces a population of the excited state levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 8

A method for population inversion comprising: supporting at first and second sites a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of the electrons at the first and second sites having a ground state, a first excitation energy level, a second and higher excitation energy level and a third excitation energy level higher than the first and second energy levels, the energy spacing between the ground state and the first energy level being substantially equal to the energy spacing between the first and second energy levels and the electrons having energy transfer effected between electrons on neighboring sites; and pumping the electrons from the first excitation level at the first site to the third excitation level at the first site such that subsequent relaxation of electrons from the second excitation level to the first excitation level provides emission of photons and such that energy transfer between the first site and the second site induces a population of the excited state levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 9

A method for population inversion comprising: supporting at first and second sites a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of the electrons at the first and second sites having a ground state, a first excitation energy level, a second and higher excitation energy level and a third excitation energy level higher than the first and second energy levels, the energy spacing between the ground state and the first energy level being substantially equal to the energy spacing between the first and second energy levels and the electrons having energy transfer effected between electrons on neighboring sites; and pumping the electrons from the first excitation level at the first site to the third excitation level at the first site such that subsequent relaxation of electrons from the second excitation level to the first excitation level provides emission of photons and such that energy transfer between the first site and the second site induces a population of the excited state levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 17

A method for lasing comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of the electrons having at least four energy levels, three of which are incrementally spaced with a substantially equal energy spacing; pumping the electrons from one of the intermediate incrementally spaced levels to the highest level to obtain population inversion in the incrementally spaced energy levels such that decay from the highest of the incrementally spaced levels to the adjacent lower level provides emission of photons and induces population of the intermediate levels of neighboring electrons from the lowest level thereof; and sustaining an oscillatory mode within the matrix configuration such that coherent light is emitted at a fundamental wavelength.

Claim 18

A method for lasing comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of the electrons having at least four energy levels, three of which are incrementally spaced with a substantially equal energy spacing; pumping the electrons from one of the intermediate incrementally spaced levels to the highest level to obtain population inversion in the incrementally spaced energy levels such that decay from the highest of the incrementally spaced levels to the adjacent lower level provides emission of photons and induces population of the intermediate levels of neighboring electrons from the lowest level thereof; and sustaining an oscillatory mode within the matrix configuration such that coherent light is emitted at a fundamental wavelength.

Claim 25

A method for lasing comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of the electrons having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third excitation level higher than the first and second intermediate levels, the ground state, the first intermediate energy level and the second intermediate level incrementally spaced with a substantially equal energy spacing; pumping the electrons in the first intermediate energy level to the third excitation level to provide a population inversion such that relaxation of electrons from the second intermediate energy level to the first and second intermediate energy level results in photon emission and further induces population of the intermediate levels of neighboring electrons from the ground state thereof; reflecting emitted photons from one end of the matrix configuration; and partially reflecting emitted photons from the diametrically opposite end of the matrix configuration such that an optically resonant cavity is formed with the inverted population of the ions providing gain therein.

Claim 26

A method for lasing comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of the electrons having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third excitation level higher than the first and second intermediate levels, the ground state, the first intermediate energy level and the second intermediate level incrementally spaced with a substantially equal energy spacing; pumping the electrons in the first intermediate energy level to the third excitation level to provide a population inversion such that relaxation of electrons from the second intermediate energy level to the first and second intermediate energy level results in photon emission and further induces population of the intermediate levels of neighboring electrons from the ground state thereof; reflecting emitted photons from one end of the matrix configuration; and partially reflecting emitted photons from the diametrically opposite end of the matrix configuration such that an optically resonant cavity is formed with the inverted population of the ions providing gain therein.

Claim 33

A method for lasing comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons on trivalent rare earth ions in the crystal lattice structure of lanthium trichloride, each of the electrons having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third excitation level higher than the first and second intermediate levels, the ground state, the first intermediate energy level and the second intermediate energy level are incrementally spaced with substantially equal energy spacings; directing a laser at the electrons to pump the electrons from the first intermediate energy level to the third intermediate excitation level to provide a population inversion in the second intermediate energy level such that relaxation of electrons from the second intermediate energy level to the first intermediate energy level results in photon emission and further induces population of the first and second intermediate energy levels of neighboring ions from the ground state thereof; reflecting emitted photons from one end of the crystal lattice structure; and partially reflecting light from the diametrically opposite other end of the crystal lattice structure such that an optically resonant cavity is formed and coherent light is emitted at the fundamental wavelength of the resonant cavity.

Claim 34

A method for lasing comprising: supporting a plurality of electrons on trivalent rare earth ions in the crystal lattice structure of lanthium trichloride, each of the electrons having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third excitation level higher than the first and second intermediate levels, the ground state, the first intermediate energy level and the second intermediate energy level are incrementally spaced with substantially equal energy spacings; directing a laser at the electrons to pump the electrons from the first intermediate energy level to the third intermediate excitation level to provide a population inversion in the second intermediate energy level such that relaxation of electrons from the second intermediate energy level to the first intermediate energy level results in photon emission and further induces population of the first and second intermediate energy levels of neighboring ions from the ground state thereof; reflecting emitted photons from one end of the crystal lattice structure; and partially reflecting light from the diametrically opposite other end of the crystal lattice structure such that an optically resonant cavity is formed and coherent light is emitted at the fundamental wavelength of the resonant cavity.

Claim 35

An apparatus for population inversion comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons in a bounded volume, each of the electrons being supported at a site and having at least four energy levels, including a ground level and first and second excited state levels, the energy levels having substantially equal energy spacing between the ground level and the first excited state level and the first and second excited state levels, the electrons further having energy transfer effected between the electrons on neighboring sites; and means for pumping the electrons from one of the excited state energy levels on a first site to the highest energy level at the first site, such that subsequent decay of the excitation provides emission of photons and such that energy transferred between the first site and a second site induces a population of the excited state levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 36

An apparatus for population inversion comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons in a bounded volume, each of the electrons being supported at a site and having at least four energy levels, including a ground level and first and second excited state levels, the energy levels having substantially equal energy spacing between the ground level and the first excited state level and the first and second excited state levels, the electrons further having energy transfer effected between the electrons on neighboring sites; and means for pumping the electrons from one of the excited state energy levels on a first site to the highest energy level at the first site, such that subsequent decay of the excitation provides emission of photons and such that energy transferred between the first site and a second site induces a population of the excited state levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 42

An apparatus for population inversion comprising: means for supporting at first and second sides a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of said electrons at said first and second sites having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third energy level higher than said first and second intermediate levels, the energy spacing between said ground state and said first intermediate level being substantially equal to the energy spacing between said first and second intermediate energy levels and the electrons having energy transfer effected between electrons on said first and second sites; and means for pumping said electrons in said first intermediate level to said third energy level at the first site such that subsequent relaxation of electrons from said second intermediate level to said first intermediate level provides emission of photons and such that energy transfer between the first site and the second site induces a population of said intermediate levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 43

An apparatus for population inversion comprising: means for supporting at first and second sides a plurality of electrons on rare earth ions in a matrix configuration, each of said electrons at said first and second sites having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third energy level higher than said first and second intermediate levels, the energy spacing between said ground state and said first intermediate level being substantially equal to the energy spacing between said first and second intermediate energy levels and the electrons having energy transfer effected between electrons on said first and second sites; and means for pumping said electrons in said first intermediate level to said third energy level at the first site such that subsequent relaxation of electrons from said second intermediate level to said first intermediate level provides emission of photons and such that energy transfer between the first site and the second site induces a population of said intermediate levels at the first and second sites.

Claim 51

An apparatus for lasing comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth electrons in a matrix configuration, each of said ions having at least four energy levels, three of which are incrementally spaced with a substantially equal energy spacing; means for pumping the electrons from one of said intermediate energy levels of said four energy levels to the highest energy level thereof to attain population inversion in said intermediate levels such that decay of said electrons from one of said intermediate levels to the next lower of said intermediate energy levels provides emission of photons and induces population of said intermediate energy levels in a neighboring electron from said lowest energy level thereof; and means for sustaining an oscillatory mode within said matrix configuration such that coherent light is emitted at a fundamental wavelength.

Claim 52

An apparatus for lasing comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth electrons in a matrix configuration, each of said ions having at least four energy levels, three of which are incrementally spaced with a substantially equal energy spacing; means for pumping the electrons from one of said intermediate energy levels of said four energy levels to the highest energy level thereof to attain population inversion in said intermediate levels such that decay of said electrons from one of said intermediate levels to the next lower of said intermediate energy levels provides emission of photons and induces population of said intermediate energy levels in a neighboring electron from said lowest energy level thereof; and means for sustaining an oscillatory mode within said matrix configuration such that coherent light is emitted at a fundamental wavelength.

Claim 61

An apparatus for lasing comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth electrons in a matrix configuration, each of said ions having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third excitation energy level higher than said first and second intermediate levels, the energy spacing between said ground state and said first intermediate level substantially equal to the energy spacing between said first and second intermediate energy levels; means for pumping the electrons in said first intermediate level to said third excitation level to provide a population inversion in said first and second intermediate levels such that relaxation of the electrons from said second intermediate level to said first intermediate level results in photon emission and further induces population of said intermediate levels in neighboring electrons from said ground state thereof; means for reflecting emitted photons from one end of said matrix configuration; and means for partially reflecting said photons from the diametrically opposite other end of said matrix configuration such that an optically resonant cavity is formed that emits coherent radiation at a fundamental wavelength.

Claim 62

An apparatus for lasing comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons on rare earth electrons in a matrix configuration, each of said ions having a ground state, a first intermediate energy level, a second and higher intermediate energy level and a third excitation energy level higher than said first and second intermediate levels, the energy spacing between said ground state and said first intermediate level substantially equal to the energy spacing between said first and second intermediate energy levels; means for pumping the electrons in said first intermediate level to said third excitation level to provide a population inversion in said first and second intermediate levels such that relaxation of the electrons from said second intermediate level to said first intermediate level results in photon emission and further induces population of said intermediate levels in neighboring electrons from said ground state thereof; means for reflecting emitted photons from one end of said matrix configuration; and means for partially reflecting said photons from the diametrically opposite other end of said matrix configuration such that an optically resonant cavity is formed that emits coherent radiation at a fundamental wavelength.

Claim 72

An apparatus for lasing comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons on trivalent ions in a crystal lattice structure of lanthium trichloride, each of said ions electrons having a ground state, a first intermediate excitation level, a second and higher intermediate excitation level and a third excitation level higher than said first and second excitation levels, the energy spacing between said ground state and said first excitation level substantially equal to the excitation spacing between said first and second excitation levels; a laser directed at said crystal lattice structure for pumping the electrons in said first excitation level to said third excitation level to provide a population inversion in said first and second excitation levels such that relaxation of the electrons from said second excitation level to said first excitation level results in photon emission and further induces population of said intermediate excitation levels of neighboring electrons from said ground state thereof; a silvered coating over one end of said crystal lattice structure to fully reflect emitted photons; and a partially silvered coating over the other end of said crystal lattice structure to partially reflect emitted photons wherein said crystal lattice structure provides an active laser medium and said reflecting surface and said partially reflecting surface form a resonant laser cavity that emits coherent radiation at a fundamental wavelength.

Claim 73

An apparatus for lasing comprising: means for supporting a plurality of electrons on trivalent ions in a crystal lattice structure of lanthium trichloride, each of said ions electrons having a ground state, a first intermediate excitation level, a second and higher intermediate excitation level and a third excitation level higher than said first and second excitation levels, the energy spacing between said ground state and said first excitation level substantially equal to the excitation spacing between said first and second excitation levels; a laser directed at said crystal lattice structure for pumping the electrons in said first excitation level to said third excitation level to provide a population inversion in said first and second excitation levels such that relaxation of the electrons from said second excitation level to said first excitation level results in photon emission and further induces population of said intermediate excitation levels of neighboring electrons from said ground state thereof; a silvered coating over one end of said crystal lattice structure to fully reflect emitted photons; and a partially silvered coating over the other end of said crystal lattice structure to partially reflect emitted photons wherein said crystal lattice structure provides an active laser medium and said reflecting surface and said partially reflecting surface form a resonant laser cavity that emits coherent radiation at a fundamental wavelength.