Abstract: A high-energy laser 10 comprising a ring of lesser-powered laser modules 12,14,16 from each of which an output is taken to be projected so that they all arrive in phase on a distant target. To phase-lock the outputs of all the serial laser modules, the path lengths (l) of the laser modules are made equal, the path length around the large loop which includes all the laser modules is made an integral multiple of the laser-module path length, and at least two different feedback loops are employed.

Abstract: Raman cell beam combining apparatus for combining a seed beam with a pump beam being introduced into the Raman cell, and employing a segmented mirror for substantially correcting the relative tilt of individual incremental portions of the wavefront of the pump beam with respect to the wavefront of the seed beam, and such mirror having an array of flat non-coplanar wavefront shifting elements positioned parallel with respect to each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fine focusing lens for charged particle beams. Since the field lines of the poles are additive, and the lens 50 can be made to be very small, the lens can be used inside of a coarse focusing lens 51. The lens 50 employs a plurality of poles 1-32, evenly spaced, circumferentially around the lens. The poles may be wires 38 for electromagnetic poles or plates 35 for electrostatic poles. Each pole can be tagged to induce a frequency, pulse, or phase signal on the charged particle beam 49, so that the effects of each pole on the beam can be separately detected. The beam can therefore be focused by seeing the effects of and adjusting each pole separately. As the number of poles increases, the ability to finely focus a charged particle beam increases. The lens 50 as shown in the figures has 32 poles, which is enough to very finely focus a charged particle beam.

Abstract: A detector array generates a profile of the intensity of a laser beam, across the beam and in the direction of fluid flow in order to detect the spatial distribution of the laser gain. Control actions such as modifying the flow of diluent into the laser cavity is instituted to shift the beam zero-gain point out of the laser beam.

Abstract: The system to be aligned includes a concave spherical reflector confocal with a convex mirror which is mounted together with a scraper mirror on a common support. The concave mirror is pivotally mounted for tilting about axes extending transversely to the optical axis of the cavity and it includes a spherical extension. The scraper mirror and the convex mirror are mounted for common tilting about axes extending transversely to the direction into which the laser beam is directed by the scraper mirror. Two autocollimation systems include a collimating flat on the support as well as a diverging-recollimating system thereon, the latter being optically aligned with the spherical mirror extension; both systems monitor misalignment of the axes of the mirrors, and cause corrective tilting, whereby specifically translational and rotational misalignment of the concave mirror is corrected by tilting.