US3790898A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Selectively tunable gaseous laser
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
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Filing: 1971-07-12
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1991-07-12
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a laser device which comprises in combination laser generation means including a laser cavity which has a gaseous medium in at least a portion of the cavity and which produces directed energy comprised of a group of frequency bands. Also included are apparatuses which react with the directed energy, so designed so as to avoid translation and angular rotation of the directed energy. The apparatuses provide selective tuning of the laser cavity to at least one of the frequency bands. Included are equipments for programming the apparatuses so that the laser is tuned to either one of the frequency bands, to all of the frequency bands in a predetermined sequence, or to some of the frequency bands in a random access manner. An additional component interposed in the path of the directed energy beam enables the laser beam to act as a carrier of the electrical signals provided by this additional component.
Inventors
- 👤 R Gudmundsen
- 👤 J Rau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:11
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/106; H01S3/1068; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/081; H01S3/083; H01S3/105; H01S3/1055
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A laser device for developing an extracavity laser beam, said device comprising: a resonant laser cavity having an axis and a gaseous medium in at least a portion of said cavity along said axis, first means for exciting said medium to cause the production of intracavity laser power in a group of frequency bands reacting means interposed inthe path of the intracavity laser power for selectively tuning the resonant laser cavity to at least one of said frequency bands, said reacting means comprising electrically responsive transducer means and dispersive means coupled to saId electrically responsive transducer means, said dispersive and transducer means being located within said resonant laser cavity for providing the selective tuning of said laser cavity in accordance with the application of a selected one of a plurality of frequencies of electrical signals to said transducer means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A laser device for developing an extracavity laser beam, said device comprising: a resonant laser cavity having an axis and a gaseous medium in at least a portion of said cavity along said axis, first means for exciting said medium to cause the production of intracavity laser power in a group of frequency bands reacting means interposed inthe path of the intracavity laser power for selectively tuning the resonant laser cavity to at least one of said frequency bands, said reacting means comprising electrically responsive transducer means and dispersive means coupled to saId electrically responsive transducer means, said dispersive and transducer means being located within said resonant laser cavity for providing the selective tuning of said laser cavity in accordance with the application of a selected one of a plurality of frequencies of electrical signals to said transducer means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser device of claim 1 wherein: said transducer means is comprised of a piezo-electric material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The laser device of claim 1 further including: third means coupled to said transducer means for selectively applying one of the plurality of frequencies of electrical signals to said transducer means to selectively tune said laser cavity to an associated one of the frequency bands.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The laser device of claim 1 further including: fourth and fifth means respectively positioned at opposite ends of said first means for providing reflection of the intracavity laser power for enabling the laser device to produce a plurality of modes of oscillation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The laser device of claim 1 further including: a signal source for providing a plurality of said electrical signals; and a programmer coupled to said signal source for selectively providing any of the electrical signals to said transducer means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The laser device of claim 1 wherein said dispersive means comprises means positioned on said axis within said resonant laser cavity for selectively deflecting the intracavity laser power in accordance with the frequency of electrical signal energizing said transducer means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The laser device of claim 6 wherein said dispersive means is positioned to pass a portion of the intracavity laser power out of said resonant cavity as the extracavity laser beam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
170 words
A laser device for producing extracavity laser beam, said device comprising: first means including a resonant laser cavity having an axis and a gaseous medium in at least a portion of said cavity along said axis; second means for exciting said medium to cause the production of intracavity laser power within said cavity at a group of frequency bands; tuning means for causing intracavity laser power to resonate within said resonant laser cavity at a selected one of said frequency bands, said tuning means comprising dispersive means positioned on said axis within said resonant laser cavity for selectively deflecting intracavity laser power relative to said axis by an amount related to the selected frequency of said intracavity laser power, said dispersive device including a Bragg acoustic reflection device having an electrical to acoustic transducer; and third means external to said cavity for controlling said dispersive means by electrically exciting said transducer at a selected frequency so as to select the frequency of the intracavity power that resonates within said cavity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
170 words
A laser device for producing extracavity laser beam, said device comprising: first means including a resonant laser cavity having an axis and a gaseous medium in at least a portion of said cavity along said axis; second means for exciting said medium to cause the production of intracavity laser power within said cavity at a group of frequency bands; tuning means for causing intracavity laser power to resonate within said resonant laser cavity at a selected one of said frequency bands, said tuning means comprising dispersive means positioned on said axis within said resonant laser cavity for selectively deflecting intracavity laser power relative to said axis by an amount related to the selected frequency of said intracavity laser power, said dispersive device including a Bragg acoustic reflection device having an electrical to acoustic transducer; and third means external to said cavity for controlling said dispersive means by electrically exciting said transducer at a selected frequency so as to select the frequency of the intracavity power that resonates within said cavity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
190 words
A laser device comprising: an optical resonant laser cavity having an optical axis and a member containing a gaseous laser medium in at least a portion of the cavity along said axis; means for exciting said medium for producing intracavity laser power containing photons within said cavity; reacting means disposed within said resonant laser cavity and optically coupled to said member for reacting with the intracavity laser power for causing the intracavity laser power to resonate at a desired one of a plurality of frequency bands, said reacting means comprising means interposed in said resonant cavity on said optical axis for achieving Bragg acoustic reflection, transducer means for acoustically exciting said means for achieving Bragg acoustic reflection, and means for exciting said transducer means with a selected one of a plurality of frequencies, said transducer means and said means for achieving Bragg acoustic reflection cooperating together to deflect photons relative to the optical axis of said resonant laser cavity in order to cause the deflected photons to resonate in said cavity at a selected one of the frequency bands as a function of the selectEd frequency exciting said transducer means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
190 words
A laser device comprising: an optical resonant laser cavity having an optical axis and a member containing a gaseous laser medium in at least a portion of the cavity along said axis; means for exciting said medium for producing intracavity laser power containing photons within said cavity; reacting means disposed within said resonant laser cavity and optically coupled to said member for reacting with the intracavity laser power for causing the intracavity laser power to resonate at a desired one of a plurality of frequency bands, said reacting means comprising means interposed in said resonant cavity on said optical axis for achieving Bragg acoustic reflection, transducer means for acoustically exciting said means for achieving Bragg acoustic reflection, and means for exciting said transducer means with a selected one of a plurality of frequencies, said transducer means and said means for achieving Bragg acoustic reflection cooperating together to deflect photons relative to the optical axis of said resonant laser cavity in order to cause the deflected photons to resonate in said cavity at a selected one of the frequency bands as a function of the selectEd frequency exciting said transducer means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The laser device of claim 9 including means for selectively tuning said laser cavity comprising means for selectively varying the frequency of excitation of said transducer means to selectively vary the frequency band of the intracavity laser power resonant within said cavity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The laser device of claim 9 wherein said means for achieving Bragg acoustic reflection is positioned to direct at least a portion of the intracavity laser power within the cavity to and along a path external to said cavity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The laser device of claim 11 wherein said resonant laser cavity forms a continuous closed loop to provide a ring-laser having two oppositely directed modes of propagation of energy resonant therein.
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) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |