US3740663A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Q-switched laser system
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1970-12-21
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Granted: 1973-06-19
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Expires: 1990-12-21
Abstract
Abstract A Q-switched laser system wherein a simple electrooptical switching arrangement is provided, such arrangement permitting randomly polarized light radiated by a laser crystal to resonate within a resonant chamber and pass through such crystal during regenerative action. Such chamber is bounded by a pair of end reflectors and includes the laser crystal, a birefringent crystal and a Pockels cell. When the resonant chamber is in a low Q condition, during a light pumping cycle, the randomly polarized light radiated by the laser crystal is separated into an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray by the birefringent crystal. Each such ray passes simultaneously through the Pockels cell, is each then reflected by an end reflector and repasses through the Pockels cell; however, during this low Q condition the Pockels cell is placed in a condition such that the electric field of each such ray is rotated 90* after repassage through the Pockels cell. Each ray, having had its electric field so rotated, repasses through the birefringent crystal in a direction such that neither such ray passes through the laser crystal. When the resonant chamber is a high Q condition, during the regenerative action, the Pockels cell is placed in a condition such that no rotation results to rays passing therethrough and therefore the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray combine on repassing through the birefringent material to form randomly polarized light, such light passing through the laser crystal and thereby resonating within the resonant chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 K Andringa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/11; H01S3/1123; H01S3/115
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
In combination: a. a laser medium; b. means coupled to such laser medium for producing an inverted population state of laser ions between at least two energy levels; c. a resonant chamber for directing light radiated by the laser medium to pass through such medium; d. means for preventing regenerative action until a predetermined inverted population state is generated and for allowing regenerative action by enabling the light radiated by the laser medium to pass through such laser medium, such preventing means including: means for separating the light into two components, each having different polarization states; and means for simultaneously rotating the electric fields of both such components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
In combination: a. a laser medium; b. means coupled to such laser medium for producing an inverted population state of laser ions between at least two energy levels; c. a resonant chamber for directing light radiated by the laser medium to pass through such medium; d. means for preventing regenerative action until a predetermined inverted population state is generated and for allowing regenerative action by enabling the light radiated by the laser medium to pass through such laser medium, such preventing means including: means for separating the light into two components, each having different polarization states; and means for simultaneously rotating the electric fields of both such components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the directing means is a resonant chamber including a pair of reflective elements for reflecting the light back and forth between such reflective elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the separating means is a birefringent medium for separating the light into two parallel spatially displaced components having mutually orthogonal linear polarizations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination recited in claim 3 wherein the rotating means comprises a polarization switch disposed such that the two components pass therethrough.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
132 words
In combination: a. a lasing element for producing a flow of randomly polarized electromagnetic energy in a desired direction; b. means for separating the randomly polarized electromagnetic energy produced by the lasing element and flowing in the desired direction into an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray and for directing the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray, after having the direction of flow thereof reversed from the desired direction, along a first or a second path in accordance with the orientation of the electric field of each such reversed ray, only the first path passing through the lasing element; and, c. a polarization switch disposed in the path of the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray for switching the orientation of the electric field of each such ray at a desired time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
In combination: a. a lasing element for producing a flow of randomly polarized electromagnetic energy in a desired direction; b. means for separating the randomly polarized electromagnetic energy produced by the lasing element and flowing in the desired direction into an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray and for directing the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray, after having the direction of flow thereof reversed from the desired direction, along a first or a second path in accordance with the orientation of the electric field of each such reversed ray, only the first path passing through the lasing element; and, c. a polarization switch disposed in the path of the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray for switching the orientation of the electric field of each such ray at a desired time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
182 words
A laser system comprising: a. a resonant chamber including a pair of reflective elements; and b. means, disposed in such chamber, for preventing randomly polarized electromagnetic energy produced by a lasing element from resonating in such resonant chamber before a desired time and for enabling such randomly polarized electromagnetic energy to resonate in such resonant chamber between the pair of reflective elements and pass through the lasing element after such desired time, such means comprising: i. means disposed in the resonant chamber, for separating the randomly polarized electromagnetic energy produced by the lasing element into an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray and for directing the ordinary ray and extraordinary ray, after having the direction of flow thereof reversed, along a first or a second path in accordance with the orientation of the electric field of each such reversed ray, only such first path passing through the lasing element; and ii. a polarization switch, disposed in the path of the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray, for switching the orientation of the electric field of each such ray at the desired time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
182 words
A laser system comprising: a. a resonant chamber including a pair of reflective elements; and b. means, disposed in such chamber, for preventing randomly polarized electromagnetic energy produced by a lasing element from resonating in such resonant chamber before a desired time and for enabling such randomly polarized electromagnetic energy to resonate in such resonant chamber between the pair of reflective elements and pass through the lasing element after such desired time, such means comprising: i. means disposed in the resonant chamber, for separating the randomly polarized electromagnetic energy produced by the lasing element into an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray and for directing the ordinary ray and extraordinary ray, after having the direction of flow thereof reversed, along a first or a second path in accordance with the orientation of the electric field of each such reversed ray, only such first path passing through the lasing element; and ii. a polarization switch, disposed in the path of the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray, for switching the orientation of the electric field of each such ray at the desired time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser system recited in claim 6 wherein the path of the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray are spatially displaced and mutually parallel as both such rays pass through the polarization switch.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-18 | 1976-12-18 | 1977-06-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-18 | 1980-12-18 | 1981-06-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-18 | 1984-12-18 | 1985-06-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |