Abstract: Described herein is a technique for generating 16 .mu.m laser radiation from a CO.sub.2 molecular gas laser system by use of the 02.sup.0 0-01.sup.1 0 vibrational transition of CO.sub.2. The technique employs a system for pumping the CO.sub.2 molecules from the ground state to the 00.sup.0 1 vibrational energy level such that a population inversion is created between the 00.sup.0 1 and 02.sup.0 0 energy levels, and transferring the population of CO.sub.2 molecules from the 00.sup.0 1 level to the 02.sup.0 0 vibrational energy levels by stimulated emission in a time less than the collisional deactivation time of the CO.sub.2 molecule in the 02.sup.0 0 level. This transfer creates a population inversion between the 02.sup.0 0 and the 01.sup.1 0 vibrational energy levels of the CO.sub.2 molecule which results in 16 .mu.m laser radiation. A similar technique for generating 14 .mu.m laser radiation from a CO.sub.2 molecular gas system is achieved by use of the 10.sup.0 0-01.sup.1 0 vibrational transition.

Abstract: A direct nuclear radiation pumped laser consisting essentially of a uranyl salt with a UO.sub.2.sup.++ uranyl ion enriched in the U.sup.235 isotope sufficient to sustain a fission chain reaction, the uranyl ion being directly nuclear radiation pumped by a fission power transient of the core to produce laser action between a low-lying vibrational level of the first triplet electronic state and an upper vibrational level of the singlet ground state.

Abstract: An electric discharge gas laser has a turbulence generator inserted in the flow path of the gas upstream of the optical cavity. The turbulence generator is illustrated as a screen. The turbulence is also disclosed as resulting from a vortex-causing blade inserted in the gas conduit. The turbulence resulting in the gas flow provides energy and specie diffusion to the outer walls at a rate relatively faster than laminar (molecular) diffusion, thereby permitting stable operations of the diffuse electric discharge at relatively higher powers.

Abstract: A tunable alkali metallic vapor laser system is disclosed. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in a low pressure atomic alkali metallic vapor of potassium or cesium is utilized wherein the atomic vapor is provided and then primed to populate an intermediate level such as the 4P.sub.1/2 level for potassium and the 6P.sub.1/2 level for cesium from which the desired upper laser level is accessible. After the population is created at the intermediate level, it is pumped to a virtual level near the desired upper laser level by a tunable dye laser and, via the SRS process, generates the tunable output laser beam.

Abstract: Lasers are disclosed wherein trapped multiline laser radiation from a DF laser is employed to pump a DF-CO.sub.2 working gas mixture within the optical resonator for the DF laser. The multiline pumping energy is resonantly absorbed by the DF component of the working gas mixture and collisionally transferred to upper energy levels of lasing transitions in CO.sub.2. A narrow-band optical resonator disposed about the working gas interaction region with the pumping radiation and tuned to a desired CO.sub.2 transition enables a single line laser output to be obtained on the desired transition.

Abstract: A Xenon Bromide (XeBr) excimer laser is made by electron beam excitation over a range of from 10-3000 torr xenon with 0.5-4% Br.sub.2. Xe* generated by a high-energy electron beam reacts with Br.sub.2 to produce XeBr* which undergoes a bound-free transition resulting in stimulated emission on the transition XeBr*.fwdarw.Xe + Br + hv (230-360 nm) where* represents a low lying electronically excited state.

Abstract: Hybrid laser structures are disclosed, the structures being axial gradient lasers that are a combination of solid-state lasable plate elements spaced along the optical axis of the laser and a cooling liquid for the plate elements, the liquid having lasing ions that lase at a wave length that is different from the wave length of the lasing ions of the plate elements. The solid-state plate elements can be made of a crystalline or glass host material doped with, for example, Cr.sup.3+ ions, and the cooling liquid whose stimulated emission is at a different wave length than that of the plate element can be, for instance, selenium oxychloride doped with Nd.sup.3+ ions.

Abstract: The electrical and mass efficiencies of an electrically excited flowing gas laser are improved by lining the discharge tube with a filler which minimizes the regions of slow or recirculating gas flow, and by utilizing a wire anode gas injector to feed laser gases into the discharge.

Abstract: A symmetrical arrangement for forming a variable alternating-current resistance, which circuit arrangement comprises an elongate p,n junction or a ladder network of p,n junctions and resistors, the elongate p,n junction or the p,n junctions of the ladder network being connected between a source of control current and a source of bias current.

Abstract: The generation of visible or ultraviolet chemical laser radiation is achieved by the vapor phase combustion of metal atoms. The vapor is formed in a precombustor and metal vapor is extracted from the precombustor and fed via a supersonic nozzle to the laser cavity where it is reacted with an oxidant to produce excited molecules and thereby lasing.

Abstract: A transverse gas flow system in combination with physically displaced electrical dissociation and electrical excitation means permits increased pulse repetition rates resulting in increased average power output from a metal halide laser apparatus.

Abstract: Light amplification for use in an optical amplifier or optical resonator can be obtained by exciting cadmium-mercury molecular dimer with an electron beam sustained discharge. Light amplification can also be obtained by exciting a mercury-ammonia complex with an electron beam sustained discharge or with mercury radiation at 2,537 Angstroms produced in an electron beam sustained discharge.

Abstract: A solid state laser including a plurality of plate like lasable elements in an array on a common optical axis. There are two different plate like elements, arranged in an alternating pattern, each containing a lasing ion which lases at a wavelength that is different from the wavelength of the other. The lasing ions and host materials are chosen so that there are two distinct spectral regions in which the lasing output of one plate element is not strongly absorbed by the other plate element.

Abstract: The output beam of a laser tube is modulated between a maximum intensity (lase) and minimum (no-lase) intensity levels by varying the laser tube current between corresponding values. The device for controlling the output beam comprises a single transistor provided in the current path of the laser tube, the current therethrough being controlled, or modulated, to provide the modulated laser beam. The device is capable of operating in a plurlity of modes. In the preferred mode, an analog signal is coupled to the transistor control circuitry whereby the laser beam intensity is linearly modulated between the maximum and minimum levels to provide a laser beam having grey scale capabilities. In a second operating mode, a digital signal is coupled to the transistor control circuitry whereby the laser beam intensity is modulated to a constant value between minimum and maximum levels.

Abstract: A hysteresis threshold circuit including two complementary transistors and an output transistor with an injector controlled by the collector of the second complementary transistor. The emitters of the second transistor and of the output transistor are interconnected, while the input of the circuit is constituted by the emitter of the first complementary transistor.

Abstract: An apparatus for initiating electrical discharge in a gas transport laser having two or more sets of electrodes comprises a pulse generator connected to both sets of electrodes. The pulse generator comprises an alternating current (AC) source connected to the primary windings of two transformers having secondaries connected to the sets, respectively of electrodes. By energizing the transformers after the application of a direct current (DC) voltage across the electrodes of each set, a discharge across the sets of electrodes occurs simultaneously for a balanced starting of the lasing action.The invention also comprehends the method of starting a laser having a plurality of sets of electrodes consisting of the steps of applying a DC potential across each set of electrodes and transmitting at least one voltage pulse simultaneously to one of the electrodes of each set to produce simultaneously an electrical discharge between all sets of electrodes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for synthesizing laser light characterized by a plurality of discrete wavelengths, without competition among different wavelengths. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a laser resonator having an optical cavity bounded by a first, reflective end plate; a gas-filled chamber having a pair of Brewster windows, within the optical cavity; and a Brewster angle Pockels cell between one Brewster window and the partially reflective end plate. The laser resonator generates red, blue and green laser light simultaneously and the Pockels cell transmits red, blue and green light successively, at a rate of at least 30 cycles per second, so that the resulting laser beam appears white in color.

Abstract: The disclosed optically coupled device includes one or more light emitting input semiconductor devices coupled by a transparent and electrically insulating medium to one or more output semiconductor devices which produce an electrical signal in response to the light received from the input device. Some such devices are known as opto-isolators or optically coupled isolators. In the disclosed devices the transparent medium is surrounded by a diffusely reflecting enclosure, which tends to make the device characteristics less sensitive to variations in fabrication. Efficient planar opto-isolator structures are disclosed.

Abstract: A coaxial high repetition rate pulsed gas laser is provided, having a peak value pulse to pulse reproducibility better than 1% at a repetition rate of up to 400 Hz. This is accomplished by synchronizing the time evolution of the high tension laser electrode voltage with the gas break-down delay period in such a way that the laser output and stability are optimized.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for achieving large populations of metastable spin-aligned He.sub.2 (a.sup.3 .SIGMA..sub.u.sup.+) molecules in superfluid helium to obtain lasing in the vacuum ultraviolet wavelength regime around 0.0800.mu.m by electronically exciting liquid (superfluid) helium with a comparatively low-current electron beam (100-200keV, .ltorsim.10.mu.A) and spin aligning the metastable molecules by means of optical pumping with a modestly-powered (100mW) circularly-polarized CW laser operating at, for example, 0.9096 or 0.4650.mu.m. Once a high concentration of spin-aligned He.sub.2 (a.sup.3 .SIGMA..sub.u.sup.+) is achieved with lifetimes of a few milliseconds, a strong microwave signal destroys the spin alignment and induces a quick collisional transition of He.sub.2 (a.sup.3 .SIGMA..sub.u.sup.+) molecules to the A.sup.1 .SIGMA..sub.u.sup.+ state and thereby a lasing transition to the X.sup.1 .SIGMA.g.sup.+ state.