Abstract: A laser damage resistant optical component exposed to alkali vapor and intense (>1 kW/cm2) light is formed by making the outermost surface of the component from a specified metal oxide or metal fluoride whose metal boils at a temperature lower than the melting temperature of that metal's oxide or fluoride, such as BaO, CdO, CaO, MgO, SrO, ZnO, CdF2, MgF2 or SrF2. This allows the metal formed by the alkali's reduction of the metal compound to be vaporized and removed by the laser beam at a temperature that does not melt or deform the host compound or substrate. The alkali reduction of metal compounds, other than those listed above, leaves metals that are heated by the laser beam to a temperature above the melting point of the host compound and/or common substrates such as silica or alumina which can lead to their damage.

Abstract: A laser damage resistant optical component exposed to alkali vapor and intense (>1 kW/cm2) light is formed by making the outermost surface of the component from a specified metal oxide or metal fluoride whose metal boils at a temperature lower than the melting temperature of that metal's oxide or fluoride, such as BaO, CdO, CaO, MgO, SrO, ZnO, CdF2, MgF2 or SrF2. This allows the metal formed by the alkali's reduction of the metal compound to be vaporized and removed by the laser beam at a temperature that does not melt or deform the host compound or substrate. The alkali reduction of metal compounds, other than those listed above, leaves metals that are heated by the laser beam to a temperature above the melting point of the host compound and/or common substrates such as silica or alumina which can lead to their damage.

Abstract: An optical device to reduce the thermally induced distortion and thermally induced depolarization of light transmitted through all or part of the device. The device includes a nominally transparent element having a negative dn/dT and a nominally transparent element having a zero or negative stress optic coefficient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning, detecting, and/or removing contamination from the surfaces of nominally transparent materials utilizing internal illumination of those surfaces with at least one electromagnetic radiation beam at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than the critical angle for total internal reflection. With appropriate selection of light sources and materials, the technique is effective at detecting and removing water, ice, particles, films and a variety of contaminants.

Abstract: An apparatus for steering a light beam having a first lens element, a second lens element, a spacer element and a lubricative optical fluid. The first lens element has a convex lens surface. The second lens element has a concave lens surface. The concave lens surface is placed adjacent the convex lens surface of the first lens element. The spacer element is placed between the convex lens surface and the concave lens surface for maintaining the first and second lens elements at a fixed distance from each other. The spacer element also defines a generally incompressible gap between the first and second lens elements, yet allows the first and second lens elements to move with respect to one another. The lubricative optical fluid is disposed within the gap.

Abstract: A beam steerer/scanner (50) includes a dynamically balanced bi-index rotating element (52). The element is comprised of a pair (52A, 52B) of transparent hemispheres which are of the same size and shape, are made from two materials of equal density, but which materials have different refractive indices (n). When the element is oscillated or rotated, an incident beam (L) impinging upon the element through a coupling lens (56) is deviated from its initial path and a deviated beam (T) is emitted from the element through another coupling lens (58). Because the two materials forming the hemispheres are of equal density, the resulting assembly may be oscillated or rotated at very high speeds without causing excessive vibration or stress. The steerer/scanner provides a high (>0.95) throughput and scanning rates as high as 1 kHz are possible. A two-dimensional scanning unit can also be constructed using the same components as used to produce a one-dimensional scanner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning, detecting, and/or removing contamination from the surfaces of nominally transparent materials utilizing internal illumination of those surfaces with at least one electromagnetic radiation beam at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than the critical angle for total internal reflection. With appropriate selection of light sources and materials, the technique is effective at detecting and removing water, ice, particles, films and a variety of contaminants.