CO/sub 2/ tea laser utilizing an intra-cavity prism Q-switch

Patent · Tue Apr 21 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6535774

Dewhirst, D R; Duvall, III, R L

Apparatus is described for controlling the resonator gain of a pulse laser device comprising: an envelope having a longitudinal axis and containing an active medium therein and resonator mirrors optically aligned with the longitudinal axis of the envelope, the resonator optical axis of the laser device being positioned to enable reflection of the laser pulse by a prism Q-switch interposed between the resonator mirrors, the Q-switch being rotatable about an axis and having retroreflective properties in axes orthogonal to the axis; means for rotating the prism Q-switch to periodically angularly align the resonator mirrors of the laser by the rotating prism; and a graded index optical imaging device, including means for converting optical to electrical energy, coupled to the rotating means for forming an image of a light source which is caused to sweep across a photodetector by rotation of the switch and for generating a timed electrical pulse for energizing the laser active medium, the optical imaging device having an angular relationship with respect to the resonator optical axis to establish a lead angle, the timing of the electrical pulse to be so arranged as to cause the alignment of the switch to occur when the active medium has achieved peak gain.

• Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA
• Patent Number(s): US 4660204
• OSTI ID: 6535774
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ALIGNMENT
AMPLIFICATION
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EQUIPMENT
EXCITATION
GAIN
GAS LASERS
IMAGE PROCESSING
INCIDENCE ANGLE
LASER CAVITIES
LASER MIRRORS
LASERS
LINEAR MOMENTUM
MIRRORS
MOTION
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
PRISMS
PROCESSING
PULSES
Q-SWITCHING
REFLECTION
RESONATORS
ROTATION
TIMING PROPERTIES
TRANSVERSE MOMENTUM