Abstract: A method for operating a rotating detonation engine, having a radially outer wall extending along an axis; a radially inner wall extending along the axis, wherein the radially inner wall is positioned within the radially outer wall to define an annular detonation chamber having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the method includes flowing liquid phase fuel along at least one wall of the radially inner wall and the radially outer wall in a direction from the outlet toward the inlet to cool the at least one wall and heat the liquid fuel to provide a heated liquid fuel; flowing the heated liquid fuel to a mixer at the inlet to reduce pressure of the heated liquid fuel, flash vaporize the heated liquid fuel and mix flash vaporized fuel with oxidant to produce a vaporized fuel-oxidant mixture; and detonating the mixture in the annular detonation chamber.

Abstract: Reflector element (1) for a solar collector including a not mechanically flexed monolithic glass pane (2) of heat treated glass which due to its enhanced resistance properties becomes self-supported without requiring the presence of any kind of frame member or device to maintain its shape at the normal utilization temperatures. The reflector element is substantially parabolic and can be provided with at least one bore (3) for a fixing element to fix the reflector element (1) to a supporting structure.

Abstract: An optical delivery waveguide for a material laser processing system includes a small lens at an output end of the delivery waveguide, transforming laser beam divergence inside the waveguide into a spot size after the lens. By varying the input convergence angle and/or launch angle of the laser beam launched into the waveguide, the output spot size can be continuously varied, thus enabling a continuous and real-time laser spot size adjustment on the workpiece, without having to replace the delivery waveguide or a process head. A divergence of the laser beam can also be adjusted dynamically and in concert with the spot size.

Abstract: A laser weapon system includes a chamber configured to direct a post-detonation gas flow between a first mirror and a second mirror, and an ejectable ammunition cartridge containing a first gas and a second gas. The cartridge is fluidly connected to the chamber.

Abstract: A laser system having an acoustic stimulator and amplifier section adjacent to the acoustic stimulator is disclosed. The stimulator is configured to apply acoustic energy to the amplifier section whereby luminescent output is produced in the amplifier section. This luminescent output may be concentrated to form a high intensity light output.

Abstract: A laser weapon system includes a chamber configured to direct a post-detonation gas flow between a first mirror and a second mirror, and an ejectable ammunition cartridge containing a first gas and a second gas. The cartridge is fluidly connected to the chamber.

Abstract: A laser weapon system includes a chamber configured to direct a post-detonation gas flow between a first mirror and a second mirror, and an ejectable ammunition cartridge containing a first gas and a second gas. The cartridge is fluidly connected to the chamber.

Abstract: A hardened pump laser comprises a hardened pump chamber that combines the functions of a conventional flash lamp and a conventional laser cavity flow tube. The hardened pump chamber comprises a hardened filter tube and electrodes. The electrodes are sealed to the hardened filter tube. A chamber in the hardened filter tube is filled with gas through the electrodes, then sealed. The hardened pump chamber performs the laser pumping function while further performing filtering and diffusion functions.

Abstract: A laser processes a workpiece with laser pulses delivered at random time intervals and at substantially constant energy levels by characterizing the laser cavity discharge behavior and utilizing that information for adjusting dummy pulse time periods to compensate for the energy errors. Dummy pulses are laser pulses that are blocked from reaching a workpiece. A second way for providing constant pulse energies employs an AOM for varying amounts of laser energy passed to the workpiece. A third way of providing constant pulse energies entails extending the pulse period of selected pulses to allow additional laser cavity charging time whenever a dummy pulse is initiated.

Abstract: For exciting a gas laser arrangement with a plurality of HF signals, at least two pulsed HF signals are generated arid at least two electrodes or pairs of electrodes of the gas laser arrangement are supplied with the pulsed HF signals, respectively. At least two of the electrodes or pairs of electrodes are supplied with pulsed HF signals that are phase-shifted with respect to each other.

Abstract: A gas laser includes an unstable laser resonator disposed in a laser housing, and a beam guide configured to guide a laser beam decoupled from the laser resonator out of the laser housing. The laser beam is coupled into the beam guide, and the beam guide is an optical fiber that extends out of the laser housing and guides the beam from the housing.

Abstract: A laser system thermal management system includes a laser gain assembly and a thermal management assembly. The laser gain assembly includes a laser gain medium and may include laser pump diodes. The thermal management system includes a high pressure gas tank connected to an open-cycle Joule-Thompson refrigerator. Cooled and partially liquefied gas is introduced into a reservoir. The reservoir may be in good direct thermal contact with the laser gain assembly or via a closed loop recirculating fluid heat exchanger. The heat generated by the laser gain assembly is removed by heat exchange with the cooled gas and condensate in the reservoir either by direct thermal contact or via the recirculating heat exchanger loop. Gas evaporating in the reservoir is vented.

Abstract: Alkali-vapor laser and related methods of lasing are described herein. In some embodiments, a diode-pumped gas-vapor laser is provided that can be scaled to high power. For example, in one embodiment, a triply-transverse configuration of a diode-pumped-alkali-laser (DPAL) is disclosed in which alkali-buffer gain medium is flowed through an laser chamber (for example, configured as an optical resonator or amplifier) whose optical axis is nominally transverse to the flow direction, and whose pump array radiation is propagated into the alkali-buffer gain medium in a direction nominally transverse to both the direction of gain medium flow and the direction of the optical axis.

Abstract: A continuous wave laser based on the electronic I*(2P½)?I(2P 3/2) transition of atomic iodine at 1.315 microns from the NCl(a1?)+I(2P 3/2) energy transfer reaction using a transverse flow device having gas flow from an upstream subsonic combustor section through a converging-diverging supersonic slit nozzle to a downstream supersonic section and an intersecting optical resonator. Laser operation is achieved through the transformation of the gas phase chemical reagents, D2 (deuterium), F2 (fluorine), NF3 (nitrogen trifluoride), DCl (deuterium chloride) HI (hydrogen iodide) in the subsonic section and HN3 (hydrogen azide) in the supersonic section.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a laser oscillator is provided comprising an optical cavity, the optical cavity including a gain medium including an alkali vapor and a buffer gas, the buffer gas including 3He gas, wherein if 4He gas is also present in the buffer gas, the ratio of the concentration of the 3He gas to the 4He gas is greater than 1.37×10?6. Additionally, an optical excitation source is provided. Furthermore, the laser oscillator is capable of outputting radiation at a first frequency. In another embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising a gain medium including an alkali vapor and a buffer gas including 3He gas, wherein if 4He gas is also present in the buffer gas, the ratio of the concentration of the 3He gas to the 4He gas is greater than 1.37×10?6. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention an oxygen iodine laser includes a gas mixing section. Ground state oxygen and a carrier gas are introduced into the first gas mixing section, sometimes separately. The laser includes a discharge region to generate at least said excited oxygen from the flow of the first gas mixing section. A sensitizer gas having a lower ionization threshold than ground state oxygen is also introduced into the first gas mixing section, such that electrons are more easily produced in the electrical generator. The laser system includes introducing a source of iodine into the excited singlet delta oxygen flow to generate a laser-active gas. In another embodiment a conditioner is placed into the gas mixing section to help mix the flow and/or introduce one or more of the aforementioned gases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-resonator including a plurality of waveguides forming optic junctions therebetween, with adjacent waveguides having different core permittivities and different cladding permittivities. Adjacent waveguides are mode-matched through adjustments of the core permittivities and the cladding permittivities of the waveguides to reduce or eliminate junction radiation, thereby providing high performance.

Abstract: An improved singlet delta oxygen generator (SOG) and method of its use are disclosed. The improved SOG is compact and scalable, capable of operating in a zero-gravity or low gravity environment, requires no gaseous diluent or buffer gas, and is capable of operating at pressures as high as one atmosphere. The improved SOG also efficiently utilizes the reactants and produces a O2(1?) stream that is largely free of chlorine and water vapor contamination and therefore does not require a BHP regeneration system or a water vapor trap. When used as part of a COIL system, the SOG may be part of a plenum that directly feeds the laser's nozzle. The close proximity of the SOG to the laser cavity allows operation of the SOG at higher pressures without significant depletion of available O2(1?) through collisional deactivation.

Abstract: A laser system (52A) is illustrated having a laser cavity (54) that generates a laser beam (78). An outcoupling resonator box (62) has a reflective mirror (70) therein. A return resonator box (64) has a reflective mirror (72) therein. A first solid window assembly (66) is disposed between the outcoupling resonator box (62) and the laser cavity (54). A second solid window assembly (68) is disposed between the return resonator box (64) and the laser cavity (54) so that the beam (78) is directed through the solid window assemblies (66), (68) during operation of the laser system, thereby isolating the usually caustic environment of laser cavity (54) from that of mirrors (70), (72) that are housed in said resonator boxes (62), (64), without the use of isolation valves and optical tunnels as in traditional arrangements.

Abstract: A system and method for obtaining improved performance of chemical laser systems by exercising control over the radiation environments of these devices. Proper control of the AERE is achieved through the control of the wall construction including the choice of materials, placement and contours, the control of the wall temperatures (separately from the gas phase temperature), and the use of optical filters or added radiation sources, to achieve a synergistic optimum performance that demonstrates superior performance characteristics beyond that which could be achieved without the control of the AERE. This control is exercised through the proper application of anti-reflecting coatings for those spectral ranges that need to be mitigated and reflecting coatings for those frequencies that need to be augmented. The determination of these frequencies is made through the application of a novel mathematical model to the kinetic processes of the laser system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for stabilizing output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser by maintaining a molecular fluorine component of the laser gas mixture at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The molecular fluorine is provided at an initial partial pressure and is subject to depletion within the laser discharge chamber. Injections of gas including molecular fluorine are performed each to increase the partial pressure of molecular fluorine by a selected amount in the laser chamber preferably less than 0.2 mbar per injection, or 7% of an amount of F2 already within the laser chamber. A number of successive injections may be performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure for maintaining stable output beam parameters.

Abstract: A novel and inexpensive excitation circuit based on a single switch and a single source drives helium-free TEA CO2 lasers, mini to conventional types, providing low divergent output. By varying the partial pressure of either CO2 or N2, the duration (FWHM) and the peak power of the laser pulse (for a system with active volume about 70 cc) is made to vary by a factor of about 7 and about 5 respectively. The fact that expensive and scarce helium is not a constituent of the laser gas mixture makes it an ideal system for high repetition rate operation as the gas re-circulatory loop consisting of the heat exchanger and the catalytic re-converter, a mandatory requirement for conventional systems to recycle helium gas, can be readily dispensed with here. This laser can be used wherever a TEA CO2 laser with conventional gas mixture containing helium is used.

Abstract: A laser (126) and an AOM (10) are pulsed at substantially regular and substantially similar constant high repetition rates to provide working laser outputs (40) with variable nonimpingement intervals (50) without sacrificing laser pulse-to-pulse energy stability. When a working laser output (40) is demanded, an RF pulse (38) is applied to the AOM (10) in coincidence with the laser output (24) to transmit it to a target. When no working laser output (40) is demanded, an RF pulse (38) is applied to the AOM (10) in noncoincidence with the laser output (24) so it gets blocked. So the average thermal loading on the AOM (10) remains substantially constant regardless of how randomly the working laser outputs (40) are demanded. The AOM (10) can also be used to control the energy of the working laser output (40) by controlling the power of the RF pulse (38) applied. When the RF power is changed, the RF duration (44) of the RF pulse (38) is modified to maintain the constant average RF power.

Abstract: An energy converter reacts hydrocarbons and air on a catalyst configuration to produce a population inversion. A photovoltaic system may extract the radiating energy, and a laser system may extract a significant fraction of the reaction energy in the form of coherent radiation. The flooding of the catalyst adsorption sites with fuel and the choice of catalyst predisposes the adsorbing oxygen molecules to create mono-atomic oxygen hot-atoms, which deposit the considerable energy of oxygen adsorption directly into a reaction channel of adjacent, adsorbed and simple fuel radicals, thereby producing simple, energetic product molecules, concentrating the energy in one or a few modes, and strongly favoring inverted populations. A solid state method to stimulate precursor chemisorbed specie dissociation accelerates the reaction rates, providing a method to greatly intensify pulsed power output, increase efficiency, and to facilitate nano-scale and micro-scale thermal energy heat rejection processes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas discharge laser having at least one long-life elongated electrode for producing at least 12 billion high voltage electric discharges in a fluorine containing laser gas. In a preferred embodiment at least one of the electrodes is comprised of a first material having a relatively low anode erosion rate and a second anode material having a relatively higher anode erosion rate. The first anode material is positioned at a desired anode discharge region of the electrode. The second anode material is located adjacent to the first anode material along at least two long sides of the first material. During operation of the laser erosion occurs on both materials but the higher erosion rate of the second material assures that any tendency of the discharge to spread onto the second material will quickly erode away the second material enough to stop the spread of the discharge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a long pulse gas laser apparatus for lithography further improved in the laser oscillation efficiency and stability increased by addition of xenon gas. A gas laser apparatus for lithography has a pair of discharge electrodes 2 provided in a laser chamber 1 and emits laser beam having a laser pulse width (Tis) of not less than 40 ns by exciting a laser gas sealed in the laser chamber 1 by electric discharge between the pair of discharge electrodes 2, the laser gas containing xenon in an amount not less than 2 ppm and not more than 100 ppm in partial pressure ratio. The laser gas has been heated at least when the laser beam is emitted.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for cleaning and passivating laser discharge chambers with plasmas. In one embodiment, an oxygen based plasma is formed in a plasma source external to the laser discharge chamber by applying a radiofrequency signal to oxygen containing gases. The oxygen based plasma is drawn into the laser discharge chamber, where it reacts with contaminants and cleans internal surfaces. After cleaning, a fluorine based plasma is formed in the plasma source and drawn into the laser discharge chamber to passivate internal surfaces. In another embodiment, cleaning with the oxygen based plasma is not used since some level of cleaning is accomplished with the fluorine based plasma. In another embodiment, oxygen based plasmas and fluorine based plasmas are formed in the laser discharge chamber by applying a radiofrequency signal to a laser discharge chamber electrode.

Abstract: An excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a discharge chamber filled with a laser gas mixture at least including a halogen-containing molecular species and a buffer gas, multiple electrodes within the discharge chamber connected to a discharge circuit for energizing the gas mixture, and a resonator for generating a laser beam including an optical component made of MgF2. The optical component made of MgF2 has been previously cleaved along a predetermined plane, such that the refractive indices of the birefringent MgF2 material for orthogonal polarization components of the beam are either at least approximately equal so that the polarization of the beam due to the influence of the birefringent nature of the MgF2 material is not substantially reduced, or are approximately maximum so that at least a portion of one of the components is rejected by the resonator so that the polarization of the beam is increased due to the birefringent nature of the MgF2.

Abstract: A gas supply path structure forms a fluid path for allowing a laser gas to flow into or out of a pair of fluid inlet and outlet 11a and a laser gas is controlled to a predetermined subsonic speed at a throat portion. Gas supplies for controlling the speed of the gas are connected each to the fluid inlet and to the fluid outlet of the gas supply path structure and, together with a cooling device, compose a circulation system for controlling the speed and pressure of the laser gas at the fluid inlet and/or at the fluid outlet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high yield DFB laser with an effective reject selection using criteria on threshold current. The demand for high output power often will require use of lasers with asymmetric power distributions with most of the light power coming out from the front mirror. The laser according to the invention preferably has an as-cleaved back mirror, an AR-coated front mirror and a 90- degree phase shift (wavelength/4) positioned at 43% of the laser length counted from the rear mirror. This type of laser gives a good SM-yield, an advantageous power asymmetry and a possibility to select good lasers using the threshold current as selection parameter.

Abstract: A buffer gas contained in a laser gas used for an ArF excimer laser mainly consists of He, and Xe is preferably added to the laser gas. Mixture piping divided by valves is disposed on piping running from a chamber to an excimer laser gas cylinder, the mixture piping and a Xe gas cylinder are connected, gas exhaust by a gas exhaust module and opening and closing of the valves are controlled by a gas controller to add a trace quantity of xenon gas to the excimer laser gas. Thus, to remedy a burst characteristic and a spike characteristic of the ultraviolet laser device by adding a trace quantity of xenon gas, the xenon gas can be supplied efficiently into the chamber without modifying existing laser gas supply equipment.

Abstract: A DF or HF chemical laser gain generator fabricated by a platelet technique in which internal passages are more easily formed because the generator is made as a stack of thin platelets that are separately etched and then stacked together. The gain generator is water cooled through passages formed in it during the platelet fabrication process. Water cooling results in lower and more uniform operating temperatures and gas pressures, allowing the use of stronger metals which facilitate the elimination of supporting structures that can degrade laser beam quality. The fabrication method allows for the elimination of gas dynamic and thermally induced density gradients which further degrade laser beam quality.

Abstract: Diamonds are marked by a laser beam having a characteristic that is changeable by positioning a selected aperture in the beam within a resonant cavity of a laser source. Guidelines are positioned in advance on the diamonds, and the marking is subsequently performed between the guidelines.

Abstract: A long pulse power system for gas discharge lasers. The system includes a sustainer capacitor for accepting a charge from a high voltage pulse power source. A peaking capacitor with a capacitance value of less than half the sustainer capacitance provides the high voltage for the laser discharge.

Abstract: The invention relates to an High Repetition Rate UV Excimer Laser which includes a source of a laser beam and one or more windows which include magnesium fluoride. Another aspect of the invention relates to an excimer laser which includes a source of a laser beam, one or more windows which include magnesium fluoride and a source for annealing the one or more windows. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of producing a predetermined narrow width laser beam.

Abstract: Internal mirror sputtering metal ion lasers are disclosed which employ laser mirrors and a resonator internal to and integral with the laser plasma tube. Preferred lasers use silver, copper, gold and other metals individually or in combination as optically active materials and buffer gases of helium, neon, argon and other noble gases. Laser mirrors are utilized to enhance or reject selected combinations of emission wavelengths. Because of the rapid response time of these lasers, they may be employed as quasi-CW devices with laser output pulse widths ranging from a few microseconds to hundreds of microseconds and with very low input power ranging from a few watts to about 500 watts. The disclosed lasers approach the size, weight, power consumption, and cost of a helium-neon laser while providing quasi-continuous output up to hundreds of milliwatts at a wide range of wavelengths from about 200nm in the deep ultraviolet to about 2000nm in the middle infrared.

Abstract: In an excimer laser oscillation apparatus including a laser chamber (20) constituted by a laser tube (2) for storing a laser gas containing a gas mixture of at least one inert gas selected from the group consisting of Kr, Ar, and Ne, He and F2 gas, and an optical resonator consisting of a pair of reflection mirrors (5, 6) arranged to sandwich the laser chamber (20) therebetween, the inner surface of the laser chamber (20) for storing the laser gas has a reflection-free surface with respect to light of a desired wavelength of 248 nm, 193 nm, or 157 nm, and the uppermost surface of the inner surface consists of a fluoride, and a means (waveguide 1) for introducing a microwave for exciting the laser gas in the laser chamber (20) is prepared.

Abstract: A cavity has a longitudinal hollow having opposite open ends. An excitation source, such as a YAG rod, is accommodated in the hollow of the cavity. A hollow, cylindrical rod holder is inserted into each of the opposite open ends of the hollow and is fitted over a corresponding end of the YAG rod. A seal is fitted into a hollow of the rod holder adjacent to a portion of the rod holder fitted over the end of the YAG rod. The seal includes an annular seal body with a U-shaped section, e.g. made from Teflon®, and fitted over an outer periphery of the YAG rod to grip the YAG rod, as well as a spring fitted in a groove of the seal body provided by the U-shaped section so as to circumferentially surround a gripped portion of the YAG rod.

Abstract: An energy converter reacts hydrocarbons and air on a catalyst configuration to produce a population inversion. A photovoltaic system may extract the radiating energy, and a laser system may extract a significant fraction of the reaction energy in the form of coherent radiation. The flooding of the catalyst adsorption sites with fuel and the choice of catalyst predisposes the adsorbing oxygen molecules to create mono-atomic oxygen hot-atoms, which deposit the considerable energy of oxygen adsorption directly into a reaction channel of adjacent, adsorbed and simple fuel radicals, thereby producing simple, energetic product molecules, concentrating the energy in one or a few modes, and strongly favoring inverted populations. A solid state method to stimulate precursor chemisorbed specie dissociation accelerates the reaction rates, providing a method to greatly intensify pulsed power output, increase efficiency, and to facilitate nano-scale and micro-scale thermal energy heat rejection processes.

Abstract: A method of utilizing lithium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide to generate singlet delta oxygen, which is used as fuel for a COIL device. The invention also comprises a method of regenerating lithium hypochlorite from the side products of singlet delta oxygen production. Singlet delta oxygen is produced by reacting LiOCl with H2O2 to form LiCl, H2O, and O2(1&Dgr;). The singlet delta oxygen is used to power a COIL apparatus, and the remaining aqueous LiOCl/LiCl solution is considered a byproduct stream. The reactant hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is preferably supplied as a vapor and the reactant LiOCl is supplied as a LiOCl-rich LiOCl/LiCl aqueous solution. Water is removed from the LiCl-rich LiOCl/LiCl aqueous byproduct stream and the LiCl in the byproduct stream is regenerated under basic conditions into LiOCl and water. The water that is removed from the byproduct stream is converted into hydrogen peroxide through a catalytic, electrochemical, or chemical process.

Abstract: A device for use with a repetitively pulsed gas laser provides self-initiated UV preliminary ionization of the active volume of a laser, which has extended high-voltage and grounded electrodes disposed parallel to one another, to which peaking capacitors distributed along the length of the electrodes are connected in a low-inductance manner. The low-voltage contacts of the peaking capacitors are either connected directly to the grounded electrode or, if this connection is interrupted, dielectric plates are inserted that are disposed either on one side or on both sides of the grounded electrode. If the capacitors are charged rapidly, a surface discharge which effects UV pre-ionization of the volume of the main discharge and is uniformly distributed over the whole surface of the dielectric plates is produced on the surface of the dielectric plates.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gas laser utilizing radio frequency excitation in the area of sonic or supersonic/subsonic transfer gas flow. The laser uses various types of gases and mixtures of gases as the active medium using radio frequency excitation. The gas is supplied into a supersonic nozzle for acceleration of the active gaseous flow to supersonic or deceleration to high subsonic speeds in order to provide intensive dynamic cooling of the active gas medium. The gas is excited using radio frequency excitation in the critical area of the supersonic nozzle or downstream therefrom. The radio frequency action and excitation can also occur within the optical resonator region which is located within the supersonic area of the nozzle.

Abstract: This invention relates to an excimer laser oscillation apparatus which has a laser chamber which stores a laser gas containing a gas mixture of at least one inert gas selected from the group consisting of Kr, Ar, and Ne, and F2 gas, and in which an inner surface thereof has a reflection-free surface with respect to light of a desired wavelength of 248 nm, 193 nm, or 157 nm, and the uppermost surface of the inner surface consists of a fluoride, an optical resonator which is made up of a pair of reflection mirrors arranged to sandwich the laser chamber therebetween, and in which the reflectance of the reflection mirror on the output side is 90% or more and microwave introduction means, arranged on the laser chamber, for continuously exciting the laser gas in the laser chamber.

Abstract: An orifice (254) is disposed near the junction of a discharge tube (1) and a laser gas lead-in pipe (242). A laser gas relay pipe (244) is disposed so as to allow the laser gas to flow parallel in the same direction as or in the reverse direction to the flowing direction of laser gas in the discharge tube (1). The orifice (254) includes a portion for impeding flow of laser gas, and plural holes for passing laser gas, and at least one of the holes is deviated from the center. The total area of the holes summing up the area of the plural holes provided in the orifice (254) is at a rate of 0.5 to 0.8 to the sectional area of the discharge tube. The plural holes of the orifice (254) are nearly circular, and the diameter of each hole is smaller than the radius of the orifice.

Abstract: An excimer laser device which neither corrodes due to a laser gas nor contaminates the laser gas is provided. For this purpose, in an excimer laser device including a cross flow fan (1) disposed in a chamber (2) for circulating a laser gas, magnetic bearings (12, 12) having outer ring magnet coils (11, 11) and inner ring magnetic substances (10, 10) for rotatably supporting a rotating shaft (9) by magnetic force, and a motor (49) having a stator (47) and a rotor (48) for directly and rotationally driving the cross flow fan (1), the outer ring magnet coils (11, 11), the inner ring magnetic substances (10, 10), the rotor (48), and the stator (47) are respectively housed in shielded spaces shielded from the laser gas.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are provided herein for an electrically assisted chemical oxygen iodine laser. The preferred system, in accordance with the present invention, includes a laser resonator with a laser-active gas mixture of at least excited oxygen and dissociated iodine. A first electrical generator in which a primary flow of at least excited oxygen is electrically generated from a first gas that includes at least ground state oxygen. A second electrical generator in which a secondary flow of at least dissociated iodine atoms is electrically generated from a second gas that includes at least diatomic iodine. The system further includes a means to inject the secondary flow into the primary flow to generate the laser-active gas mixture.

Abstract: An HF-excited gas laser has a laser tube of ceramic material containing a laser gas, and the tube includes a chemical component which will preclude passage therethrough of secondary radiation of a wavelength within a proscribed range which would interact with the material of the laser tube to create defects therein. The chemical component to prevent damage to the laser tube may be provided as a layer on its inside surface which is essentially impermeable to and/or reflects the secondary radiation back into the lasing gas. Alternatively, the material of the laser tube may incorporate the chemical component, preferably over the portion of the wall adjacent its inner surface.

Abstract: A laser with microwave excitation includes a source of microwave radiation coupled to a microwave resonator. The resonator is configured such that the microwave radiation generates an oscillating electric-field perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the resonator corresponding to the first longitudinal resonator mode standing wave pattern. An excitation cavity, housing at least one gas discharge conduit, is coupled to the microwave resonator along a major portion of the cavity's length. The excitation cavity is configured to be below cutoff.

Abstract: A stable multi-fold telescopic resonator is applied to a slab laser to provide a high power laser beam of a high optical quality. The current invention could be applied to both waveguide and free-space slab lasers with either gas or solid-state active media. A reduced sensitivity to misalignment is achieved through the use of two short-radii concave folding mirrors forming a nearly-confocal or confocal optical resonator. In order to obtain a nearly-symmetrical output beam profile from the large thickness slab lasing medium, the resonator includes a slit diaphragm(s), positioned between the slab and resonator mirrors and aimed to eliminate higher order laser modes in the direction transverse to the plane of the slab. Furthermore, a three mirror multi-fold telescopic resonator is provided by substituting one of the resonator mirrors with a surface of one of the folding mirrors.

Abstract: A high energy chemical laser capable of being operated in an aircraft to interdict and destroy theater ballistic missiles is provided. A key to the chemical laser of the invention is the use of individual chemical lasers whose individual photon energy outputs can be combined into a single high-energy laser beam.