US4519082A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Color center laser, material, and method of lasing
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1982-03-10
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Granted: 1985-05-21
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Expires: 2002-03-10
Abstract
Abstract A laser material for a solid state tunable laser comprises a potassium or rubidium halide crystal with lithium and/or sodium cation impuritites in a crystalographic structure with point defects consisting essentially of F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers and electron traps. The crystals are colored both additively and with ionizing radiation.
Inventors
- 👤 Irwin Schneider
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:29
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1681
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A laser material for a solid-state tunable laser which comprises a potassium or rubidium halide crystal having a lithium and/or sodium cation impurity, said crystal having a crystalographic structure with point defects consisting essentially of F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers and electron traps, said F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers being present in concentrations sufficient to obtain lasing from two types of color centers and said electron traps being present in a concentrations sufficient to prevent bleaching of said color centers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A laser material for a solid-state tunable laser which comprises a potassium or rubidium halide crystal having a lithium and/or sodium cation impurity, said crystal having a crystalographic structure with point defects consisting essentially of F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers and electron traps, said F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers being present in concentrations sufficient to obtain lasing from two types of color centers and said electron traps being present in a concentrations sufficient to prevent bleaching of said color centers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The material of claim 1 wherein said electron traps consists essentially of ions selected from the group consisting of divalent metal ions, OH - , SH - , and mixtures thereof, said ions having a concentration from about 25 to about 150 ppm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The material of claim 2 wherein said electron traps are divalent metal ions selected from the class consisting lead, palladium, and manganese ions and mixtures thereof, said ions having a concentration from 75 to 125 ppm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The material of claim 2 wherein said crystal is potassium or rubidium iodide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The material of claim 2 wherein said color centers are Li-(F 2 + ) A and Na-(F 2 30 ) A centers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The material of claim 1 wherein said electron traps consists essentially of (F 2 ) A , F A , F B , F' A , and F' B color centers in a dynamic equilibrium with said F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A centers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The material of claim 6 wherein said crystal is potassium or rubidium iodide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The material of claim 4 or 7 wherein said cation impurity is lithium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The material of claim 4 or 7 wherein said cation impurity is sodium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The material of claim 4 or 7 wherein said cation impurity is an equal mixture of sodium and lithium ions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The material of claim 1, 3, 6 or 7 wherein said color centers are F 2 + and Li-(F 2 + ) A centers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The material of claim 1 wherein said color centers are F 2 30 and Na-(F 2 + ) A .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a laser comprising a pumping means in association with a laser medium in a resonant cavity and an output means connected to said cavity the improvement comprising: said laser medium of a material comprising a potassium or rubidium halide crystal having a lithium and/or sodium cation impurity, said crystal having a crystalographic structure with point defects consisting essentially of F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers and electron traps, said F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers being present in concentrations sufficient to obtain lasing from two types of color centers and said electron traps being present in a concentration sufficient to prevent bleaching of said color centers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a laser comprising a pumping means in association with a laser medium in a resonant cavity and an output means connected to said cavity the improvement comprising: said laser medium of a material comprising a potassium or rubidium halide crystal having a lithium and/or sodium cation impurity, said crystal having a crystalographic structure with point defects consisting essentially of F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers and electron traps, said F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers being present in concentrations sufficient to obtain lasing from two types of color centers and said electron traps being present in a concentration sufficient to prevent bleaching of said color centers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The laser of claim 13 wherein said electron traps of said material are divalent metal ions selected from the class consisting of lead, palladium, and manganese ions and mixtures thereof in a concentration from 75 to 125 ppm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
The laser of claim 14 wherein said crystal is potassium iodide.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of continuously lasing over the spectrum from about 2 to 4 microns which comprises irradiating a material which comprises a potassium or rubidium halide crystal having a lithium and/or sodium cation impurity, said crystal having a crystalographic structure with point defects consisting essentially of F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers and electron traps, said F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers being present in concentrations sufficient to obtain lasing from two types of color centers and said electron traps being present in a concentrations sufficient to prevent bleaching of said color centers with light in the infrared absorption band of the F 2 + and the (F 2 + ) A centers to produce stimulated emission from the crystal throughout the emission band of the F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A centers and extracting said light from said material.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of continuously lasing over the spectrum from about 2 to 4 microns which comprises irradiating a material which comprises a potassium or rubidium halide crystal having a lithium and/or sodium cation impurity, said crystal having a crystalographic structure with point defects consisting essentially of F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers and electron traps, said F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A color centers being present in concentrations sufficient to obtain lasing from two types of color centers and said electron traps being present in a concentrations sufficient to prevent bleaching of said color centers with light in the infrared absorption band of the F 2 + and the (F 2 + ) A centers to produce stimulated emission from the crystal throughout the emission band of the F 2 + and (F 2 + ) A centers and extracting said light from said material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said electron traps of said material are divalent metal ions selected from the class consisting of lead, palladium and manganese ions and mixtures thereof in a concentration from 75 to 125 ppm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
the method of claim 17 wherein said crystal is potassium or rubidium iodide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4301426A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-05-20 | 1988-11-19 | 1989-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-05-20 | 1992-11-19 | 1993-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-05-20 | 1996-11-19 | 1997-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |