Abstract: An inert diluent such as N.sub.2, He, Ar, etc., is injected into the reactant streams emerging from the cavity nozzle of a CW, supersonic, laser to increase the cavity power and lower the cavity temperature by enhancing mixing of the reactant stream while maintaining high pressure recovery.

Abstract: A conventional construction of light emissive III-V semiconductor device is modified by the inclusion in the active region of the device of not more than 5 atomic percent of a group III or group V substituent of significantly different atomic radius than that of the element for which it is substituted. The microstress field in the neighborhood of dislocation in the active region produces local modification of the concentration of the substituent causing a reduction in the magnitude of the microstress field associated with these dislocations.

Abstract: A method for producing stimulated emission of radiation in the X-ray region comprising the steps of: selecting as an active medium a system having the following properties; two energy levels separated by an energy difference .DELTA.E corresponding to radiation of frequency .omega..sub.t in the X-ray region such that a transition from the upper to the lower of the two levels by one-photon emission is weakly allowed or strictly forbidden, one of the two levels having a nearly degenerate partner level optically coupled thereto such that a transistion therebetween by one-photon emission has a high probability; providing a resonator containing such an active medium; subjecting the active medium in the resonator to stimulating radiation at a frequency .omega..sub.1 that is preferably, substantially equal to the frequency of the optical coupling between the nearly degenerate levels but much smaller than the frequency .omega..sub.

Abstract: An electrodeless RF excited gas arc lamp for pumping a laser has a lamp envelope in the form of a loop having a continuous bore containing krypton, xenon or argon. Sufficient RF power to maintain a plasma in the gas in the loop is provided by a coil around its circumference so that it is linked by the flux generated by RF voltage through the coil. The laser rod to be pumped is mounted adjacent the loop. A diffuse reflector surrounds the lamp and laser rod to reflect back toward the rod light which does not impinge directly on the rod as well as any impinging light not initially absorbed by the rod.

Abstract: A laser device has a plasma discharge region for dissociating a diatomic gas into atoms. A nozzle connects the plasma discharge region with an optical cavity. The nozzle expands the plasma accelerating it to a supersonic velocity as it passes from the discharge region into the optical cavity. As the plasma passes through the nozzle, the dissociated atoms are recombined into molecules in a metastable energy state. The nozzle includes a gas injector for introducing a lasing gas into the plasma flow through the nozzle.

Abstract: The invention concerns a vibration energy transfer laser. Vibration energy which is transferred by molecular interaction to bromhydric acid which can then produce infra-red light by stimulated emission, is imparted to nitrogen. Application to the transmission of light through the atmosphere.

Abstract: A highly efficient, compact pulsed laser having high energy to weight and volume ratios is provided. The laser utilizes a cavity reflector that operates as a heat sink and is essentially characterized by having a high heat conductivity, by being a good electrical insulator and by being substantially immune to the deleterious effects of ultra-violet radiation. Manual portability is accomplished by eliminating entirely any need for a conventional circulating fluid cooling system.

Abstract: A light beam scanner consisting of an acoustic cavity having a length l, a width w between two side surfaces and a thickness t between the other two side surfaces. The cavity is transparent to optical energy and is capable of supporting acoustic energy of frequency f reflected through the length of the cavity at an angle of incidence .theta. to the remaining surfaces, where ##EQU1## WHERE M IS AN INTEGER AND V IS THE VELOCITY OF ACOUSTIC ENERGY IN THE CAVITY. Acoustic waves at a controlled frequency f are generated in one end of the cavity from one of the remaining side surfaces so as to have a continuous distribution of direction. A beam of collimated monochromatic light having a wavelength .lambda. is directed onto one of the side surfaces either substantially perpendicular to it or at the Bragg angle, to be transmitted through the cavity and diffracted by the acoustic energy in the cavity. Focussing means focusses the diffracted beam onto a plane where it appears at a point .theta.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gaseous laser, whose cathode is a conductive coating upon the walls of a cathode volume, the geometric design of the cathode, cathode volume, and cathode-connecting volume being such as to impede sputtering of the cathode.

Abstract: A double-heterostructure injection laser can be improved to have a low threshold current. The improvement is obtained when the active region of GaAs or Ga.sub.l-y Al.sub.y As consists of several component layers wherein the central layer has the highest carrier concentrations and the layers on both sides of the central layer have lower carrier concentrations and the farther the outer layers are apart from the central layer, the lower are their carrier concentrations.By forming the active region in this manner, the light generated in the active region is well confined in the region without undesirable leaking, resulting in a considerable lowering of the threshold current.

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed are image forming devices and the like with a solid electrolyte laminated between electrodes with the electrodes insulated by transparent, insulating layers in a selected pattern to form the image.

Abstract: Gas laser generator comprising a gaseous active medium, at least one electric excitation line formed by an insulating plate inserted between a first and second metallic plate, the first plate having a slot enclosing the gaseous medium, a circuit for setting up a progressive current wave in the line. The plates are cut in the shape of superimposed half parabolas. A variant consists in producing the generator in the form of two half parabolas such as above but insulated from each other and brought to different potentials. The invention is implemented in high-power lasers.

Abstract: A system for the multiplex addressing of a colloidal light valve array. An array of individual sites or cells is made using a colloidal light valve (CLV) material which has a light transmission curve that is a function of the frequency of the applied potential across the site or cell. The array is generally defined by rows and columns of electrical conductors. The intersections of the rows and column define sites or are at individual cells. Any one site may be uniquely addressed by supplying this site with a high frequency electrical signal and a low frequency electrical signal during one time period and with two low frequency electrical signals during a second time period. Non-selected or non-addressed sites are supplied with combinations of high frequency and low frequency electrical signals during the two time periods to force the average light transmission valve of these nonselected sites to be the compliment of the average light transmission of the addressed site.

Abstract: A counter electrode structure of a transition metal electrochromic compound for use in an electro-optical device, which is useful in control of visible and infrared absorption by windows, in data display devices and the like, typically comprising in sandwich arrangement a pair of electrodes, and disposed therebetween, a layer of transition metal electrochromic compounds and a semi-solid highly conductive sulfuric acid gel electrolyte, one of the electrodes being said counter electrode. The gel exhibits good conductivity, stability and compatibility with the electrochromic layers. The present counter electrode is more efficient and has a longer lifetime.

Abstract: In an electro-chromic display device having a display field, provision is made for showing a plurality of indicia in the same or overlapping regions, thereby increasing the range of indicia which can be displayed in a given area.

Abstract: An electrically pumped gas laser with an electrode assembly providing for gas flow through spaced upstream and downstream electrode arrays with the flow path perpendicular to the optical axis of the laser in a very low inductance electrical circuit. Electrode arrays comprising parallel spaced blade shaped electrodes, with the upstream electrodes having a contoured leading edge and a trailing knife edge spaced from the walls of the discharge space, and with the downstream electrodes having a leading knife edge spaced from the walls of the discharge space and a similarly contoured trailing edge. An electrode assembly with upstream and downstream gas flow channels providing a double parallel plate transmission line for electrical connections and energy storage, with the channel walls serving either directly or as supporting structures for the inner plates, and with the outer plates in the form of conducting sheets spaced from the inner plates by insulating sheets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining laser action between an upper energy level and a lower energy level of a gaseous medium, which comprises populating the upper energy level to some degree (short of achieving a conventional inverted population) by any suitable pumping means, and thereafter establishing an inverted population by transiently and selectively depumping the lower energy level such as by exposing the medium to an intense source of radiation which selectively causes the transformation of the lower energy level species to some other energy level. Thus, a thermally pumped/optically depumped gas laser system is produced.

Abstract: A very small high-reflectivity mirror surrounded by a low-reflectivity region is fabricated in a self-aligned manner directly on one of the output faces of a stripe-geometry solid-state laser. The phenomenon known as filamentation is thereby effectively controlled.

Abstract: A laser device has a bore formed by aligned apertured carbon discs with the ratio of the pitch distance between adjacent discs to the diameter of the apertures through the discs being between 1.8 and 3.0. An optimum value of this ratio is 2.2. The pitch distance is the distance from one surface of a carbon disc to the corresponding surface on an adjacent disc; this distance being measured parallel to the bore axis. This relationship of aperture diameter to pitch distance substantially eliminates sputtering of the carbon discs and gas clean-up during laser operation.

Abstract: A laser which obtains lasing action from gases flowing into and out of a laser cavity is substantially improved by causing the flowing gases to traverse a strongly recirculating flow field. The recirculation of exhaust flow gases into the incoming flow gases, in a controlled recirculation region, leads to substantially uniform distribution of gas composition, chemical and thermodynamic states, pressure, temperature, density and refractive index throughout the cavity. Recirculation flow fields are generated by opposed jets, behind baffles, in swirling flow, in spheres when jet velocities are high and in duct flows where a high momentum, high velocity jet is surrounded by a co-flowing low momentum low velocity stream.