Patents by Inventor William B. Colson

William B. Colson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Methods for tuning free electron lasers to multiple wavelengths
    Patent number: 4674091
    Abstract: The tuning of the output of a free electron laser to different wavelengths is accomplished using a tilting resonator. In a free electron laser, relativistic electrons travel through a periodic magnetic field and oscillate to amplify coherent optical radiation within a resonator with the same polarization as the magnet. Usually, the electron beam is parallel with the resonator axis and the fundamental harmonic is ordinarily used in the transverse magnetic field. By tilting the resonator axis with respect to the electron beam and transverse magnetic field, the free electron laser's output is tuned to different wavelengths. By using higher harmonics (f=3,5,7, . . . ) the free electron laser produces lasing in several wavelengths simultaneously. These several wavelengths are also tuned by the tilting resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: William B. Colson
  • Isochronous free electron laser
    Patent number: 4491948
    Abstract: A storage-ring free-electron laser in which the electrons remain trapped in the optical potential wells formed by the laser fields. This is accomplished by preserving the electrons' bunched structure from pass to pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1985
    Inventors: David A. G. Deacon, John M. J. Madey, Todd I. Smith, William B. Colson