US5048032A — Air cooled RF induction excited ion laser

Claim 1

Independent Claim 79 words

An ion laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; and means for exciting said active medium to induce laser gain in said resonant cavity, said means for exciting including power supply means for generating a radio frequency (RF) output, and means for coupling said RF output to said active medium and for dissipating heat associated with said laser bore during the excitation of said active medium.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 79 words

An ion laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; and means for exciting said active medium to induce laser gain in said resonant cavity, said means for exciting including power supply means for generating a radio frequency (RF) output, and means for coupling said RF output to said active medium and for dissipating heat associated with said laser bore during the excitation of said active medium.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said active medium is a noble gas.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 2 wherein said noble gas is argon.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 2 wherein said noble gas is krypton.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said power supply means comprises a pulse width modulated switching power supply.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 38 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for coupling said RF output to said active medium includes a coupling structure surrounding said laser bore, said coupling structure generally characterized as having a helical shape.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means for coupling said RF output to said active medium further includes tank circuit means including a capacitor coupled in series with said coupling structure, said coupling structure further acting as an inductor.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 51 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 7 wherein said RF output of said RF power supply is coupled into said tank circuit means utilizing an RF transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein said secondary winding is connected in series with said capacitor and said coupling structure.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 8 wherein said RF transformer comprises a ferrite core having toroidal windings positioned about said ferrite core.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 21 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 6 further including means for generating an air flow directed about said coupling structure.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 50 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 6 wherein said coupling structure comprises a continuous material structure forming a plurality of annular rings, each ring having an inner edge and an outer edge, and a first side and a second side, said first and second sides having a parallel relationship.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 11 further including means for circulating a cooling fluid around said laser bore.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 1 including means for generating an axial magnetic field in said laser bore comprising at least one permanent magnet.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 29 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 13 wherein said at least one permanent magnet comprises at least two permanent magnets arranged about said laser bore in alternating polarities.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 54 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for coupling said RF energy to said laser bore comprises a coupling structure surrounding said laser bore in a collinear serial relationship thereto and, further including means for generating an axial magnetic field comprising means for providing direct current to said coupling structure.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 108 words

An air cooled, RF excited, ion laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; and means for exciting said active medium, said means for exciting comprising power supply means for generating a radio frequency (RF) output, and a plurality of coupling means for transmitting said RF output to said active medium, each said coupling means transmitting said RF output in a different phase relationship with respect to at least one other of said coupling means, said plurality of coupling means further for dissipating heat associated with said laser bore during the excitation of said active medium.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 108 words

An air cooled, RF excited, ion laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; and means for exciting said active medium, said means for exciting comprising power supply means for generating a radio frequency (RF) output, and a plurality of coupling means for transmitting said RF output to said active medium, each said coupling means transmitting said RF output in a different phase relationship with respect to at least one other of said coupling means, said plurality of coupling means further for dissipating heat associated with said laser bore during the excitation of said active medium.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 34 words

The laser as claimed in claim 16 wherein said plurality of coupling means comprises a plurality of coupling structures, said coupling structures surrounding said laser bore and generally characterized as having a helical shape.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 33 words

The laser as claimed in claim 17 wherein said coupling means further includes a plurality of tank circuits, eaoh of said tank circuits respectively associated with one of said plurality of coupling structures.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 24 words

The laser as claimed in claim 17 wherein said at least one tank circuit includes at least one inductor and at least one capacitor.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 46 words

The laser as claimed in claim 19 further including a plurality of means for shifting the phase angle relationship of said RF output of said power supply means, each said means for shifting being respectively associated with at least one of said plurality of tank circuits.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 118 words

A laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; a power supply means comprising a pulse width modulated switching power supply for providing a voltage in the RF frequency range to an output; first inductor means coupled to the output of said power supply means; a plurality of helical structures, eaoh of said plurality of helical structures having associated therewith a tank circuit means including a second inductor, inductively coupled to said first inductor, and a capacitor; means for generating a magnetic field along the axial length of said laser bore; and means for dissipating heat from said laser bore upon excitation of said active medium.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 118 words

A laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; a power supply means comprising a pulse width modulated switching power supply for providing a voltage in the RF frequency range to an output; first inductor means coupled to the output of said power supply means; a plurality of helical structures, eaoh of said plurality of helical structures having associated therewith a tank circuit means including a second inductor, inductively coupled to said first inductor, and a capacitor; means for generating a magnetic field along the axial length of said laser bore; and means for dissipating heat from said laser bore upon excitation of said active medium.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 129 words

A noble gas, ion laser, comprising: a resonant cavity having an output coupler, an active laser medium and a laser bore, said active medium being a rare gas; excitation means, including a pulse width modulated switching power supply capable of generating an RF output wherein said output is inductively coupled to a tank circuit, said tank circuit including an inductor, capacitor, and a helical structure coupled to and surrounding said laser bore in a collinear serial relationship thereto, for coupling said RF energy to said laser bore to excite said active medium; cooling means comprising means for generating an air flow about said helical structure; and means for generating a magnetic field along the axial length of said bore for positioning said excited active medium within said laser bore.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 129 words

A noble gas, ion laser, comprising: a resonant cavity having an output coupler, an active laser medium and a laser bore, said active medium being a rare gas; excitation means, including a pulse width modulated switching power supply capable of generating an RF output wherein said output is inductively coupled to a tank circuit, said tank circuit including an inductor, capacitor, and a helical structure coupled to and surrounding said laser bore in a collinear serial relationship thereto, for coupling said RF energy to said laser bore to excite said active medium; cooling means comprising means for generating an air flow about said helical structure; and means for generating a magnetic field along the axial length of said bore for positioning said excited active medium within said laser bore.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 105 words

An ion laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; and means for exciting said active medium to induce laser gain in said resonant cavity, said means for exciting including power supply means for generating a radio frequency (RF) output and for generating a DC output, means for coupling said RF output to said active medium and for dissipating heat associated with said laser bore during the excitation of said active medium, and means for providing said DC output to said means for coupling to generate a magnetic field in said laser bore.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 105 words

An ion laser comprising: a resonant cavity including an output coupler and a laser bore, said resonant cavity containing an active medium; and means for exciting said active medium to induce laser gain in said resonant cavity, said means for exciting including power supply means for generating a radio frequency (RF) output and for generating a DC output, means for coupling said RF output to said active medium and for dissipating heat associated with said laser bore during the excitation of said active medium, and means for providing said DC output to said means for coupling to generate a magnetic field in said laser bore.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 68 words

The ion laser as claimed in claim 23- wherein said power supply means comprises a single-ended forward converter including at least one MOSFET having source, drain, and gate electrodes, said gate electrode being coupled to a pulse width modulation means for controlling the output frequency of said converter, and wherein said drain electrode of said MOSFET is coupled to said means for coupling to provide said DC output.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-09-09	1995-03-11	1995-09-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-09-09	1999-03-11	1999-09-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-09-09	2003-03-11	2003-09-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Air cooled RF induction excited ion laser

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