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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Laser stabilization servo system

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6319206
This patent describes a closed loop feedback control for a laser having an excited lasing material contained within an adjustable length chamber producing a laser beam, and influenced by a magnetic field to obtain two component modes of differing frequency in the laser beam, the laser feedback control controls the frequency difference between the component modes comprising: a first means for heterodyne mixing the component modes to obtain an electrical signal characterized by a beat frequency generated by mixing the frequencies of the component modes and representing the difference in frequency between the component modes; a second means for producing a reference signal having a frequency characteristic of a desired beat frequency signal; a third means, receiving the electrical signal from the first means and the reference signal from the second means, for comparing the phase between the electrical signal and the reference signal to determine a difference in Phase, and producing an error signal responsive to the difference in phase between the signals with respect to time; and control means responsive to the error signal for changing the length of the laser chamber to obtain a controlled frequency difference between the component modes in the laser beam, which component modes produce when heterodyned by the first means an electrical a beat signal having a frequency which is locked in phase with the frequency of the reference signal to determine the frequency difference between component modes; whereby the beat signal becomes phase locked to the reference signal to determine the frequency difference between the component modes.
Assignee:
Beckman Instruments, Inc., Fullerton, CA
Patent Number(s):
US 4672618
OSTI ID:
6319206
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English