Gas laser and method of operation
This patent describes a method of operating a laser device having a lasing cavity having an optical axis and a gaseous lasing medium having an upper lasing level disposed in the lasing cavity. The method comprises: (a) pumping the lasing medium therein to produce population inversion and stimulated emission in the saturated regime. The rate of stimulated emission is at least not substantially less than the sum of all other rates at which population is transferred out of the upper lasing level; (b) causing the rate of collisions of lasing atoms and molecules occurring in the lasing medium during pumping to occur less rapidly than the sum of all the rates at which population is transferred out of the upper lasing level; (c) generating within the cavity a DC magnetic field having an axis having a first predetermined orientation at least a component of which is transverse to the optical axis and of amplitude sufficient to induce an electron precession rate large compared to the transition rate out of the upper lasing level; and (d) polarizing laser light generated in the cavity to cause the light to have a predominate polarization oriented with respect to the axis of the magnetic field at angle of at least about 55/sup 0/ and less than 90/sup 0/.
- Assignee:
- Avco Everett Research Lab., Inc., Everett, MA
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4620305
- OSTI ID:
- 7250245
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 17 Sep 1984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GAS LASERS
DESIGN
OPERATION
AMPLITUDES
ATOM-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
DIRECT CURRENT
ELECTRONS
INCIDENCE ANGLE
LASER CAVITIES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
OPTICAL PUMPING
ORIENTATION
POLARIZATION
POPULATION INVERSION
PRECESSION
STIMULATED EMISSION
ATOM COLLISIONS
COLLISIONS
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EMISSION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FERMIONS
LASERS
LEPTONS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
PUMPING
420300* - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)