Abstract: A beam delivery system for delivering a laser beam from a stationary laser to a point in space under robot control has a universal or spherical shoulder joint which is free to rotate in any direction, a wrist joint which receives the beam from the shoulder joint and which allows the beam to be pointed in the required direction and a section of sliding tubes which couple the wrist joint directly to the shoulder joint in a straight line. The beam delivery system is constructed to be readily and effectively associated with a robot. The beam delivery system is mounted with the spherical or universal shoulder joint close to the vertical axis of the robot shoulder and with the spherical shoulder joint below the articulated arm mechanism of the robot so that the beam delivery system accesses a maximum volume beneath the articulated mechanism of the robot. The beam delivery system utilizes a minimum of internal mirrors to minimize power loss in the beam.

Abstract: A method for checking straightness of an elongated generally cylindrical bore, such as a capillary bore, includes directing a collimated light beam through the bore, with the bore skewed slightly with respect to the beam. This causes a wall of the bore to reflect some of the beam light, forming generally an off-axis ring of reflected light beyond the end of the bore, in addition to an on-axis spot of un-reflected light. Variation in the off-axis reflected light ring pattern by scatter of reflected light indicates non-straightness of the reflecting bore wall. Variation of the light in the ring is determined by measuring equipment. The cylindrical bore may be rotated sequentially through a plurality of positions, such as four positions, to check the entire circumference of the bore. The degree of bore non-straightness may be quantitatively measured electronically or mechanically.

Abstract: A temperature responsive, gas entrapping material contained in a chamber connected to a gas laser tube selectively entraps gas to regulate the pressure in the laser tube. A temperature regulator adjusts the temperature of the gas entrapping material and thereby controls the pressure of the gas in the laser tube. The temperature of the gas entrapping material can be adjusted by cooling or by heating. The pressure in the laser tube is monitored. The tube voltage can be used to monitor the pressure. Temperature adjustment of the gas entrapping material permits development of optimum gas pressure in the laser tube for different wave lengths. In one embodiment the laser is a krypton gas laser and the gas entrapping material is activated charcoal or alumino-silicate. The gas entrapping material may be heated, during assembly of the gas laser, to a temperature high enough to remove foreign material which might otherwise interfere with the operation of the laser tube.

Abstract: An optical component of a laser of the type including a hot gas plasma region, a cold gas region and producing large photon fluxed includes an optical element and a coating means on a surface of the optical element exposed to the photon fluxes. The coating means is comprised of a material adapted to minimize photoreduction of the optical element induced by exposure to the photon fluxes. Optical elements of the present invention include windows, birefringent plates, intra-cavity lenses, polarizers and mirrors.

Abstract: A method and system for stabilizing the phase relationship of two RF-controlled mode locked lasers involves monitoring the output of both lasers and, with a phase detector/comparator, generating a voltage proportional to the phase difference between the two lasers. The voltage is amplified and filtered and fed into a voltage controlled phase delay connected to the mode locker of one of the lasers. The phase delay operates to delay the RF signal to the one laser according to the desired phase relationship. By disclosed methods and apparatus a single laser can also be stabilized to its own RF drive source to reduce noise effects, two lasers can be individually stabilized to a single RF source, or two lasers can each be stabilized to their own separate RF sources.

Abstract: A laser instrument of the kind used to read or to detect light reflected from a target which is spaced from the laser instrument comprises a laser for generating a laser beam for transmission to the target, and a detector for detecting light reflected from the target and a trifocal, composite, single piece lens system. The trifocal lens system receives the laser beam from the laser at an angle which is off the optical axis of the lens system, routes the received laser beam onto the optical axis for transmission through the lens system and toward the target, collects light reflected from the target and images and transmits the collected light along the optical axis to the detector means. In a specific embodiment of the invention the trifocal, composite, single piece lens system is a plastic molded structure.

Abstract: A window assembly for a laser uses a uniaxial crystalline material such as quartz for the window, secured directly in a hard seal to a metal tubular end component. In order to avoid significant differential thermal expansion between the quartz window and the end component, the quartz crystal is cut in a Z-normal configuration, whereby the thermal expansion and other physical properties of the window are isotropic in the plane of the window. The ability to make a reliable direct seal to a metal component offsets any disadvantages of the Z-normal configuration thought to be controlling in the prior art. Through the disclosed method for assembling and mounting the window, reflection loses are reduced to a practical minimum comparable to that of any preferred conventional window orientation.

Abstract: A hand held laser bar code reader includes a motion sensor and associated circuitry to disable energization of the laser unless the bar code reader has just undergone some degree of motion. This safety feature avoids the possibility of the bar code reader's being held motionless for a long enough time to cause retinal damage to a human eye.

Abstract: The power output of a gas laser is maximized by (1) suppressing high order transverse modes, (2) broadening the gain curve to increase the number of axial modes that can lase in a given length of cavity and to thereby reduce power variation due to longitudinal mode sweeping resulting from thermal effects on cavity length, (3) suppressing unwanted infrared lasing activity, and (4) reducing beating noise resulting from frequency offset due to dispersion.

Abstract: A fast axial flow carbon dioxide laser has a laser head arranged to provide multiple folding of the laser beam into two, four or more linear passes. The construction of the head is such as to provide for generating either one laser beam or a pair of beams, by adjustment of optics. Located centrally in the laser head is a single exhaust manifold for exhausting all of the axially flowing gas from a series of colinear and spaced parallel discharge tubes on opposite sides of the exhaust manifold. Gas flow is from two outer inlet manifolds toward the central exhaust manifold, so that optics of the system are isolated from contamination and from the hot exhaust. Adequate distribution of gas within each discharge tube is assured by the manner in which the flowing gas is directed into the discharge tubes.

Abstract: An articulated joint of changing the direction of a light beam passing through the joint has an inlet for the incoming light beam, an outlet for the outgoing light beam, two turning mirrors and three precision bearing units associated with the turning mirrors for permitting rotation of the mirrors with a minimum amount of error of angular displacement of the redirected beam. An apparatus providing movement of at least a portion of a beam delivery system and directing an outlet beam to a desired location includes the articulated joint, a motion delivery device operatively associated with the joint and connecting means disposed between the joint and the motion delivery device. The connecting means are adapted to provide relative motion between an attachment of the connecting means to the joint and an attachment of the connecting means to the motion delivery device.

Abstract: A device to disable the write enable system of flexible magnetic disk drives. By closing the notch normally provided in the edge of a standard flexible magnetic disk jacket, an engagement pin configured to take advantage of the construction and physical characteristics of the flexible magnetic disk jacket is inserted into the jacket notch thereby preventing the activation of the write enable function of the flexible magnetic disk drive and providing a visual indicator to the operator that the disk installed and operating in the disk drive is write protected.

Abstract: An automatic weapons effects simulator (AWES) reproduces the visual and acoustic signatures associated with the firing of a weapon used in combat troop engagement simulation. The AWES is directly integrated into the weapon and allows the weapon operator to utilize the basic weapon mechanism in the same manner as with the original parts and at a cost advantage as compared to the cost of blank ammunition.

Abstract: A neodymium YAG laser is pumped by a matched laser diode of high efficiency, resulting in a compact, high-efficiency and long-lifetime laser assembly. Output is in the near infrared range, but can be converted to the visible spectrum by an internal frequency doubler. A doubling crystal, which may be a KTP crystal, is placed at an optimum location in the laser cavity. Polarization of the beam may be achieved simply by stressing the YAG rod, prior to frequency doubling.

Abstract: The output of a continuous wave modelocked Nd:YAG laser is first pulse compressed and then frequency doubled from infrared to green, to provide a new pumping source for a synchronously pumped dye laser. The disclosed apparatus and methods can achieve tunable subpicosecond pulses at relatively high average power, over 300 milliwatts. The 1064 nanometer output of the pulse compressor is frequency doubled to 532 nanometers so as to provide 3.5 picosecond pump pulses at 82 MHz and average power exceeding one watt. When this is used to pump a Rhodamine 6G dye laser, tunable pulses as short as 190 femtoseconds output can be obtained from the dye laser, with average power over 300 milliwatts. With the addition of a cavity dumper, tunable subpicosecond pulses of 80 kilowatt peak power have been generated.

Abstract: A capillary bore laser tube is constructed to have little or no power loss when subjected to relatively high shock loads during operation. A spider structure supports the free end of the capillary bore tube in an almost rigid manner against transverse movement of the free end with respect to the outer envelope or jacket of the laser tube so that high shock loads and vibration produce little or no permanent change in the radial alignment of the free end of the bore tube with respect to the other operating components of the laser tube. The spider structure is a disk shaped member which is rigidly attached at its outer periphery to the outer envelope and which is also rigidly attached at its inner periphery to the bore tube. The spider structure is sufficiently flexible in a longitudinal direction to accommodate differential thermal expansion resulting from the differences in temperatures between the bore tube and the outer envelope produced when the laser is energized for operation.

Abstract: A pneumatic controller for use in controlling airflow in a conditioned air distribution system is adjustable to accommodate different types of damper actuation and thermostats in different systems. The four-function controller can be manually reconfigured to be a direct acting/direct reset controller, a reverse acting/reverse reset controller, a direct action/reverse reset controller or a reverse acting/directing resent controller, all using a single diaphragm valve responsive to differential pressure between total air and static air inputs. A reset unit on one end of the controller can be mounted in four different positions, two upright and two inverted, to provide the four functions, with total air and static air inputs being reversed in position when the controller is in a reverse acting mode. A differential pressure responsive valve at the heart of the system is controlled by a spring which can act as either a tension spring, for direct acting, or as a compression spring, for reverse acting.

Abstract: A sampler for taking samples from multiple sources has a fixed, non-moving needle at a sampling station. A sample vial is lifted from a tray at the sampling station. The needle pierces the septum of the vial and enters the sample as the vial is lifted toward the needle.The sample vial is also rotated as it is lifted, and a bar code reader makes a number of spaced apart, helical reads on a bar code label attached to the vial for label identification of the sample.The needle includes an inner, sample needle and an outer, gas-pressurization needle. The sample is withdrawn by the positive displacement of a syringe connected to the sample needle. The combination of the gas pressurization within the vial and the positive displacement of the syringe insures movement of the sample and accurate control of the volume removed independent of the viscosity of the sample.

Abstract: A wavelength selective mirror provides single wavelength operation of a gas laser. In a specific embodiment an output coupler optical interference coating allows oscillation of the 488.0 nanometer line of the Argon ion laser blue/green spectrum while suppressing all other lines in that spectrum, particularly adjacent lines at 476.5 nanometers and 496.5 nanometers.

Abstract: A floating mirror plate for a laser is suspended in a resonant cavity structure by graphite fiber rods. The cavity structure positions the mirror mounting plates and maintains a highly stable longitudinal spacing of the mirror mounting plates, despite thermal expansion and contraction of other parts of the cavity structure during operation of the laser. The graphite rods are associated with metal tubes and metal bracket support plates for resisting torsion by a construction which does not clamp the metal tubes onto the graphite rods. This construction permits relative movement, in a longitudinal direction, between the metal tubes and the graphite rods to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the metal tubes occurring during operation of the laser. The floating plate structure also embodies a rod arrangement in which the rods are not required to be aligned with contact pads for mirror adjusting screws.