Abstract: Optical filaments are formed controllably in a gaseous medium such as air. A phase plate introducing a phase discontinuity or other localized optical inhomogeneity is introduced into the path of the pulsed high-power laser beam that forms the optical filaments in the medium. The locations and characteristics of the phase discontinuities or singularities are selected to control the number and locations of the optical filaments.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 14, 2003
Date of Patent:
October 2, 2007
Assignee:
Ionatron
Inventors:
Stephen William McCahon, Paul B. Lundquist
Abstract: Optical filaments are formed controllably in a gaseous medium such as air. A phase plate introducing a phase singularity is introduced into the path of the laser beam that forms the optical filaments in the medium. The phase plate is preferably a vortex phase plate having one or more singularities. The locations and characteristics of the phase singularities are selected to control the number and locations of the optical filaments.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 14, 2003
Date of Patent:
May 23, 2006
Assignee:
Ionatron
Inventors:
Paul B. Lundquist, Stephen William McCahon
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