Abstract: Tilted spherical mirrors are used as a means of achieving asymmetric magnification (M.sub.x .noteq.M.sub.y) in collimated-output unstable resonators which obviate fabrication difficulties associated with non-spherical mirrors. By suitable choice of rather large tilt angles of spherical mirrors and mirror separation, simultaneous "confocality" can be achieved in x-z and y-z planes to the lowest order.

Abstract: A high power repetitively pulsed gas laser which has a cold cathode e-beam un to control self-switching circuitry for applying electric power throughout a confined discharge cavity exciting laser atoms or molecules to cause a high power laser output to be produced from the laser gas mixture in the discharge cavity.

Abstract: An electronic voting system in which votes are manually entered by a voter on a voting board by means of sliding indicators. The board is then momentarily placed in a separate and discrete vote processor which optically reads instances when an indicator has been moved, and after verification of legal selections, registers the votes cast.

Abstract: A laser system using a cw HeNe laser for transmitting a beam through a dioic into an unstable resonator. A second laser, a cw CO.sub.2 laser, has its beam transmitted through the dichroic to follow the HeNe beam into the unstable resonator laser aperture. The resonator's secondary and primary mirrors are adjusted into a parallel orientation which gives a series of circles in both laser beams. The gain-spike is suppressed to eliminate air breakdown.

Abstract: An electronic voting system in which votes are manually entered by a voter on a voting board by means of sliding indicators. The board is then momentarily placed in a separate and discrete vote processor which optically reads instances when an indicator has been moved, and after verification of legal selections, registers the votes cast.

Abstract: This device is used to measure effective energy transfer rates for a laser during lasing. It accounts for contributions to the total energy transfer rate from all component sources since measurement occurs during lasing action. An intracavity modulator operating within the optical cavity of a laser periodically interrupts lasing. The laser output is coupled to a fast response detector. The detector output is coupled to a waveform signal averager which removes random noise from the waveform. The signal is averaged to produce a clean accurate picture of the detector output which is then coupled to an x-y plotter. The x-y plotter provides a graph of signal level versus time of the output signal and provides the exponential tail from which the total energy transfer rate is obtained. Data from the x-y plotter is then replotted as a semi-log plot and the slope of this semi-log plot gives the time constant which is the total energy transfer rate.

Abstract: A modular unstable ring resonator utilizing several independent gain modules is used to obtain output of a multiple set of mutually coherent beams. Additionally, rigorous mutual coherence is maintained even when the system operates on more than one longitudinal mode or/and on more than one gain transition; specific frequency-control elements are eliminated; satisfactory operation is possible with one or more gain-medium modules disabled. Each segment of the ring resonator's optical path may contain a laser gain medium, an output mirror, and a beam expander for continuously circulating a portion of the system flux while also coupling out a portion of the flux from each output mirror. The plural outputs may be used individually or collectively.