Patent US4864587A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4864587A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multiple beam gas laser and method
Assignee: Laser Science Inc
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Filing: 1986-09-02
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Granted: 1989-09-05
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Expires: 2006-09-02
Abstract
Abstract A pulsed gas laser having two spaced optical resonators each associated with a pair of high voltage electrodes. The first and second pairs of electrodes are positioned within a common plasma chamber including means for circulating a laser gas successively between the two pairs of electrodes. A common heat exchanger removes the heat energy from the two regions of plasma excitation. A high voltage pulse generator connected to the electrodes includes timing means for delaying the application of high voltage pulses to the second pair of electrodes, the delay being either (a) less than the time required for an acoustic shock wave to travel through the lasing gas from the first to the second pair of electrodes or (b) longer than the time required for the shock wave created by the discharge of the first pair of electrodes to die out. Each optical resonator is provided with an adjustable mirror arranged to reflect laser pulses to and from a mirror grating. The mirrors are adjusted angularly to change the wavelength of the laser pulses.
Inventors
- 👤 Ali Javan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 04:40
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/23; H01S3/2383; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S372/00; Y10S372/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
In combination: a housing, a laser gas within said housing, a first laser resonator including a first pair of high voltage electrodes, disposed in substantially parallel, spaced relationship within said housing, for producing a discharge pulse therebetween in response to a voltage pulse applied thereto, and first mirror means, including at least one partially transmissive mirror, for producing laser resonance in said first laser resonator induced by said discharge pulse between said first pair of electrodes and producing a laser output at a first selectable frequency, and a second laser resonator including a second pair of high voltage electrodes, disposed in substantially parallel relationship within said housing, for producing a discharge pulse therebetween in response to a voltage pulse applied thereto, and second mirror means, including at least one partially transmissive mirror, for producing laser resonance in said second laser resonator induced by said discharge pulse between said second pair of electrodes and producing a laser output at a second selectable frequency.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
In combination: a housing, a laser gas within said housing, a first laser resonator including a first pair of high voltage electrodes, disposed in substantially parallel, spaced relationship within said housing, for producing a discharge pulse therebetween in response to a voltage pulse applied thereto, and first mirror means, including at least one partially transmissive mirror, for producing laser resonance in said first laser resonator induced by said discharge pulse between said first pair of electrodes and producing a laser output at a first selectable frequency, and a second laser resonator including a second pair of high voltage electrodes, disposed in substantially parallel relationship within said housing, for producing a discharge pulse therebetween in response to a voltage pulse applied thereto, and second mirror means, including at least one partially transmissive mirror, for producing laser resonance in said second laser resonator induced by said discharge pulse between said second pair of electrodes and producing a laser output at a second selectable frequency.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1 including circulation means arranged to propel said gas along a path passing successively between said first and second pairs of electrodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first mirror means includes a first, partially transmissive mirror, and a mirror grating, oppositely disposed from said first mirror relative to said first pair of electrodes, for receiving laser energy from and reflecting laser energy to said first mirror along an optical path thereby to produce laser resonance at a preselected wavelength.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination as claimed in claim 3 including means for adjusting the angle of said mirror grating relative to said first pair of electrodes thereby to change the wavelength of said laser resonance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The combination as claimed in claim 3 including a second mirror interposed in the optical path between said first mirror and said mirror grating, and means for changing the angle of said second mirror with respect to said mirror grating thereby to change the wavelength of said laser resonance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1 including timing means for applying a first high voltage pulse to said first pair of electrodes and a subsequent high voltage pulse to said second pair of electrodes a predetermined time interval after said first high voltage pulse.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said time interval is less than the time required for an acoustic wave to travel through said gas from said first to said second pair of electrodes.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of generating a plurality of laser pulses at different wavelengths comprising the steps of providing a housing having therein first and second spaced pairs of electrodes. filling said housing with a laser gas, providing first and second optical resonators associated respectively with said first and second pairs of electrodes and each including a partially transmissive mirror, adjusting one of said optical resonators to provide a resonance wavelength different from the resonance wavelength of the other optical resonator, and applying first and second high voltage pulses respectively to said first and second pairs of electrodes thereby to produce first and second laser pulses at said different wavelengths.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of generating a plurality of laser pulses at different wavelengths comprising the steps of providing a housing having therein first and second spaced pairs of electrodes. filling said housing with a laser gas, providing first and second optical resonators associated respectively with said first and second pairs of electrodes and each including a partially transmissive mirror, adjusting one of said optical resonators to provide a resonance wavelength different from the resonance wavelength of the other optical resonator, and applying first and second high voltage pulses respectively to said first and second pairs of electrodes thereby to produce first and second laser pulses at said different wavelengths.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of producing a continuous flow of said gas within said housing passing sequentially through the regions between said first and second pairs of electrodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of delaying the application of said second pulse to said second pair of electrodes after the application of said first pulse to said first set of electrodes for a time interval less than the time required for an acoustic shock wave to travel through said gas from said first to said second pair of electrodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first optical resonator includes an adjustable mirror and a mirror grating positioned to receive said first laser pulse from and reflect said first laser pulse to said adjustable mirror, said step of adjusting one of the optical resonators including the step of adjusting said adjustable mirror to change the wavelength of said first laser pulse.
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) | 1992-09-04 | 1993-03-06 | 1993-09-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-04 | 1997-03-06 | 1997-09-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-04 | 2001-03-06 | 2001-09-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |