Method and apparatus for upshifting light frequency by rapid plasma creation

Patent · 31 December 1989

OSTI ID:867628

Dawson, John M ^[1]; Wilks, Scott C ^[2]; Mori, Warren B ^[3]; Joshi, Chandrasekhar J ^[2]; Sessler, Andrew M ^[4]

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1. Pacific Palisades, CA
2. Santa Monica, CA
3. Hermosa Beach, CA
4. Oakland, CA

Photons of an electromagnetic source wave are frequency-upshifted as a plasma is rapidly created around the path of this propagating source wave. The final frequency can be controlled by adjusting the gas density. A controlled time-varying frequency (chirped) pulse can be produced by using a controlled spatially varying gas density. The plasma must be created in a time which is short compared to the transit time of the light through the plasmas region. For very fast creation over one to at most a few light periods of an overdense plasma, static magnetic fields with short wavelengths are created.

• Research Organization: University of California
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-87ER13752
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4975655
• OSTI ID: 867628
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/359/
adjusting
apparatus
chirped
compared
controlled
created
creation
density
electromagnetic
fast
fields
final
frequency
frequency-upshifted
gas
gas density
light
light frequency
magnetic
magnetic field
magnetic fields
method
overdense
path
periods
photons
plasma
plasmas
produced
propagating
pulse
rapid
rapidly
region
source
source wave
spatially
static
static magnetic
time
time-varying
transit
transit time
upshifting
varying
varying frequency
wave
wavelengths