Pulse switching for high energy lasers

Patent · Tue Jun 23 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5722378

Frosch, R A; Laudenslager, J B; Pacala, T J

A saturable inductor switch is disclosed for compressing the width and sharpening the rise time of high voltage pulses from a relatively slow rise time, high voltage generator to an electric discharge gas laser (EDGL). The switch also provides a capability for efficient energy transfer from a high impedance primary source to an intermediate low impedance laser discharge network. More specifically, a saturable inductor switch is positioned with respect to a capacitive storage device, such as a coaxial cable, so that when a charge build-up in the storage device reaches a predetermined level, saturation of the switch inductor releases or switches energy stored in the capacitive storage device to the edgl. Also disclosed are cascaded saturable inductor switches for providing output pulses having rise times of less than ten nanoseconds as required for efficient excitation of edgl's, the pulse rise time being determined by the thickness of a high permeability material forming the saturable inductor switch. In addition, a technique for magnetically biasing the saturable inductor switch is disclosed so that only pulses from a pulse generator having one polarity are passed and pulses having the other polarity are blocked, thereby improving the lifetime of electrical components that are sensitive to voltage reversals.

• Assignee: IFI; EDB-82-041454
• Patent Number(s): US 4275317
• OSTI ID: 5722378
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
CAPACITIVE ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
GAS LASERS
LASERS
PULSE CIRCUITS
PULSE SHAPERS
SWITCHES