Patent US979305A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3774121A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3774121A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Wavelength selective laser apparatus
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1971-12-13
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Granted: 1973-11-20
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Expires: 1991-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A wavelength selective laser in which an active dye cell is pumped, a dispersion apparatus inside the laser resonator is used to disperse differing emitted wavelengths along distinct feedback paths in the resonator, and an absorption dye cell inside the resonator is used to selectively transmit the wavelengths to be resonated through low-loss apertures provided therein in response to incident bleaching beams of radiation moving across the resonator cross section. By electronically scanning the bleaching beams, the laser is electronically tuned. The apertures and the dispersion apparatus can be made an integral part of a single dye cell, in which case the wavelengths are selected for oscillation by scannable pumping beams providing movable gain apertures in the otherwise absorbing dye medium. Rapid electronic tuning in a system in which alignment problems are kept to a minimum makes the laser more desirable than similar prior art devices in numerous applications.
Inventors
- 👤 A Ashkin
- 👤 E Ippen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:15
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/105; H01S3/1055; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/08018; H01S3/08022; H01S3/08031; H01S3/0804; H01S3/0805; H01S3/102; H01S3/106; H01S3/1068
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
Apparatus for the stimulated emission of radiation comprising an active medium which emits, when pumped, optical radiation simultaneously at a plurality of differing wavelengths, means for pumping said active medium to provide said simultaneous emission, an optical resonator disposed about said active medium to resonate the differing wavelengths, and means disposed within said resonator for dispersing the differing wavelengths along distinct paths in at least a portion of said resonator, said pumping means comprising means for producing at least one beam of radiation and for introducing said beam into said resonator, means for focusing said beam to a small cross-sectional diameter in said active medium, and means for scanning said beam across the cross section of said active medium to selectively transmit and stimulate the wavelength in at least one of said paths through a movable gain aperture provided in said active medium in coincidence with the incidence of said sannable pumping beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
Apparatus for the stimulated emission of radiation comprising an active medium which emits, when pumped, optical radiation simultaneously at a plurality of differing wavelengths, means for pumping said active medium to provide said simultaneous emission, an optical resonator disposed about said active medium to resonate the differing wavelengths, and means disposed within said resonator for dispersing the differing wavelengths along distinct paths in at least a portion of said resonator, said pumping means comprising means for producing at least one beam of radiation and for introducing said beam into said resonator, means for focusing said beam to a small cross-sectional diameter in said active medium, and means for scanning said beam across the cross section of said active medium to selectively transmit and stimulate the wavelength in at least one of said paths through a movable gain aperture provided in said active medium in coincidence with the incidence of said sannable pumping beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
144 words
Apparatus for the stimulated emission of radiation comprising an active medium which emits, when pumped, optical radiation simultaneously at a plurality of differing wavelengths, means for pumping said active medium to provide said emission, an optical resonator disposed about said active medium to resonate the differing wavelengths, means for dispersing the differing wavelengths along distinct and laterally displaced paths through said active medium, said pumping means comprising means for producing a beam of radiation and for introducing said beam into said resonator, means for focusing said beam to a small cross-sectional diameter in said active medium, and means for scanning said beam across the cross section of said active medium to selectively transmit and stimulate the wavelength in at least one of said paths through a movable gain aperture provided in said active medium in coincidence with the incidence of said scannable pumping beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
144 words
Apparatus for the stimulated emission of radiation comprising an active medium which emits, when pumped, optical radiation simultaneously at a plurality of differing wavelengths, means for pumping said active medium to provide said emission, an optical resonator disposed about said active medium to resonate the differing wavelengths, means for dispersing the differing wavelengths along distinct and laterally displaced paths through said active medium, said pumping means comprising means for producing a beam of radiation and for introducing said beam into said resonator, means for focusing said beam to a small cross-sectional diameter in said active medium, and means for scanning said beam across the cross section of said active medium to selectively transmit and stimulate the wavelength in at least one of said paths through a movable gain aperture provided in said active medium in coincidence with the incidence of said scannable pumping beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 in which said active medium is a dye laser medium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said active dye medium comprises a dye ceLl including a flowing solution of the dye.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
194 words
Apparatus for stimulated emission of radiation comprising an active medium which emits, when pumped, optical radiation simultaneously at a plurality of differing wavelengths, means for pumping said active medium to provide said emission, an optical resonator disposed about said active medium to resonate the differing wavelengths, said active medium including periodic variations in the transmission characteristics thereof in a direction transverse to the axis of said resonator, said variations deflecting said radiation resonating in said resonator continuously toward the resonator axis at angles related to the wavelength of said radiation, said differing wavelengths of said radiation assuming distinct ringlike re-entrant paths in said resonator, said pumping means comprising means for producing two beams of radiation and for introducing said beams into said resonator, means for focusing said two beams to a small cross-sectional diameter in said active medium, and means for scanning said two beams across the cross section of said active medium laterally away from and toward the resonator axis, said active medium selectively transmitting and stimulating the wavelength in at least one of said paths through movable gain apertures provided therein in coincidence with the incidence of said two scannable pumping beams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
194 words
Apparatus for stimulated emission of radiation comprising an active medium which emits, when pumped, optical radiation simultaneously at a plurality of differing wavelengths, means for pumping said active medium to provide said emission, an optical resonator disposed about said active medium to resonate the differing wavelengths, said active medium including periodic variations in the transmission characteristics thereof in a direction transverse to the axis of said resonator, said variations deflecting said radiation resonating in said resonator continuously toward the resonator axis at angles related to the wavelength of said radiation, said differing wavelengths of said radiation assuming distinct ringlike re-entrant paths in said resonator, said pumping means comprising means for producing two beams of radiation and for introducing said beams into said resonator, means for focusing said two beams to a small cross-sectional diameter in said active medium, and means for scanning said two beams across the cross section of said active medium laterally away from and toward the resonator axis, said active medium selectively transmitting and stimulating the wavelength in at least one of said paths through movable gain apertures provided therein in coincidence with the incidence of said two scannable pumping beams.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 in which said active medium is a dye laser medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said active dye medium comprises a dye cell including a flowing solution of the dye.
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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) | 1976-11-19 | 1977-05-21 | 1977-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-19 | 1981-05-21 | 1981-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-19 | 1985-05-21 | 1985-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |