Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A system for generating laser radiation having a spectrum substantially filling a bandwidth comprising: laser oscillator means for generating only a single mode locked pulse of radiation within said bandwidth circulating within a cavity associated with said laser oscillator means whereby said cavity experiences a succession of passes of said mode locked pulse; means for applying radiation from the single pulse from one pass of said mode locked pulse from said oscillator onto an output path, said single pulse having said spectrum; a pump laser providing excitation to said laser oscillator and having a cavity effective length approximately the same as the effective cavity length of said laser oscillator.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
109 words
A system for generating laser radiation having a spectrum substantially filling a bandwidth comprising: laser oscillator means for generating only a single mode locked pulse of radiation within said bandwidth circulating within a cavity associated with said laser oscillator means whereby said cavity experiences a succession of passes of said mode locked pulse; means for applying radiation from the single pulse from one pass of said mode locked pulse from said oscillator onto an output path, said single pulse having said spectrum; a pump laser providing excitation to said laser oscillator and having a cavity effective length approximately the same as the effective cavity length of said laser oscillator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 1 further including an injection locked laser having a plurality of modes and receiving said single pulse on said output path to generate within said injection locked laser a plurality of laser radiation modes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said injection locked laser includes means for defining a bandwidth therefore and said single pulse is effective to excite all modes within said bandwidth.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said injection locked laser is a ring laser.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said pump laser comprises a frequency-doubled YAG laser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 or 5 wherein said laser oscillator comprises a dye laser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 1 wherein: said laser oscillator includes a partially reflective cavity end mirror; and said means for applying a single pulse is operative to select a single pulse transmitted through said partially reflective end mirror outside said cavity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
The system of claim 1 or 7 wherein said means for applying a single pulse includes: means for sensing a pulse of laser radiation produced by said laser oscillator; means responsive to said sensed pulse for providing a rotation in polarization thereof; and means responsive to radiation of said laser oscillator for providing radiation of one polarization along a first path and radiation of the rotated direction of polarization along a second path.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for providing broad band single pulse laser radiation comprising: means for generating pump laser radiation within a cavity of a predetermined length, said radiation having a noisy envelope amplitude with the noise amplitude peaking at times which are a function of said cavity length; laser oscillator means having a medium pumped by said laser pump radiation with said noisy envelope and having a cavity of a length matching the length of said laser whereby said laser oscillator is mode locked by the envelope noise of said pump radiation and has only a single pulse of radiation travelling within said laser oscillator cavity; said pump laser having a lasing duration sufficient to provide within the cavity of said laser oscillator a plurality of traversals of laser radiation through the laser oscillator medium; means for selecting radiation from a single traversal of said single pulse of radiation from said laser oscillator to provide a pulse having a broad band spectrum.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for providing broad band single pulse laser radiation comprising: means for generating pump laser radiation within a cavity of a predetermined length, said radiation having a noisy envelope amplitude with the noise amplitude peaking at times which are a function of said cavity length; laser oscillator means having a medium pumped by said laser pump radiation with said noisy envelope and having a cavity of a length matching the length of said laser whereby said laser oscillator is mode locked by the envelope noise of said pump radiation and has only a single pulse of radiation travelling within said laser oscillator cavity; said pump laser having a lasing duration sufficient to provide within the cavity of said laser oscillator a plurality of traversals of laser radiation through the laser oscillator medium; means for selecting radiation from a single traversal of said single pulse of radiation from said laser oscillator to provide a pulse having a broad band spectrum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 9 wherein: said cavity has an end mirror partially reflective to provide an output path for radiation from said laser oscillator; said single pulse selecting means includes means for providing a polarization rotation in the radiation passing through said partially reflective mirror and means for diverting radiation of rotated polarization from said output path.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
38 words
The system of claims 9 or 10 further including a ring oscillator responsive to the single selected pulse of laser radiation to produce a plurality of modes of mode locked radiation within the cavity of said ring oscillator.