US3772611A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Waveguide gas laser devices
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1971-12-27
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Granted: 1973-11-13
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Expires: 1991-12-27
Abstract
Abstract There are disclosed gas lasers in which the light is guided by a hollow dielectric waveguide which also serves to confine the discharge. These lasers are typically designed to have resonators with Fresnel numbers small enough (less than *0.5) to suppress the dominant free space mode and having sufficient gain for a waveguide mode of oscillation to exist. Each laser has an internal resonator structure and is designed in such a way that the electrical excitation of the gas discharge can be accomplished without interfering with the light guiding properties of the waveguide. Several novel techniques for forming waveguide laser tubes of the required small dimensions are also disclosed. The embodiments include a capillary ring-type configuration that is r.f.-excited, a distributed feedback configuration using periodic changes in waveguide bore cross section, or wall index of refraction, and various rectangular waveguide configurations, for example, two flat glass plates spaced at the edges by two thin-film strips.
Inventors
- 👤 P Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 00:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0975; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/0315; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/0632; H01S3/0635; H01S3/08; H01S3/081; H01S3/083
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A gas laser comprising a capillary tube of bore diameter Alpha suitable for waveguiding at wavelength lambda , said tube consisting essentially of material of uniform index to provide guiding primarily within said bore, a gaseous active medium disposed at least partially within the bore of said capillary tube and having a transition capable of providing stimulated emission of radiation at wavelength lambda , means for establishing a discharge through sai medium to invert the populations of the energy levels of said transition, and a resonator of length b for which the Fresnel number Alpha /b2 lambda is less than about 0.5, said resonator together with the tube and said discharge establishing means comprising an enclosure for said medium, the capillary tube having open ends, and the resonator and the discharge establishing means including a pair of reflective metallic members closing the ends of said tube, one of said members being partially transparent for the radiation of wavelength lambda , and means for establishing a potential between the metallic members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A gas laser comprising a capillary tube of bore diameter Alpha suitable for waveguiding at wavelength lambda , said tube consisting essentially of material of uniform index to provide guiding primarily within said bore, a gaseous active medium disposed at least partially within the bore of said capillary tube and having a transition capable of providing stimulated emission of radiation at wavelength lambda , means for establishing a discharge through sai medium to invert the populations of the energy levels of said transition, and a resonator of length b for which the Fresnel number Alpha /b2 lambda is less than about 0.5, said resonator together with the tube and said discharge establishing means comprising an enclosure for said medium, the capillary tube having open ends, and the resonator and the discharge establishing means including a pair of reflective metallic members closing the ends of said tube, one of said members being partially transparent for the radiation of wavelength lambda , and means for establishing a potential between the metallic members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
151 words
A gas laser comprising a capillary tube of bore diameter Alpha suitable for waveguiding a wavelength lambda , said tube consisting essentially of material of uniform index to provide guiding primarily within said bore, a gaseous active medium disposed at least partially within the bore of said capillary tube and having a transition capable of providing stimulated emission of radiation at wavelength lambda , means for establishing a discharge through said medium to invert the populations of the energy levels of said transistion, and a resonator of length b for which the Fresnel number Alpha /b2 lambda is less than about 0.5, said resonator together with the tube and said discharge establishing means comprising an enclosure for said medium, the capillary tube comprising at least two flat dielectric plates and means including two dielectric films between said plates and in contact therewith for forming a rectangular tube bore between said plates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
151 words
A gas laser comprising a capillary tube of bore diameter Alpha suitable for waveguiding a wavelength lambda , said tube consisting essentially of material of uniform index to provide guiding primarily within said bore, a gaseous active medium disposed at least partially within the bore of said capillary tube and having a transition capable of providing stimulated emission of radiation at wavelength lambda , means for establishing a discharge through said medium to invert the populations of the energy levels of said transistion, and a resonator of length b for which the Fresnel number Alpha /b2 lambda is less than about 0.5, said resonator together with the tube and said discharge establishing means comprising an enclosure for said medium, the capillary tube comprising at least two flat dielectric plates and means including two dielectric films between said plates and in contact therewith for forming a rectangular tube bore between said plates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
189 words
A gas laser comprising a capillary tube of bore diameter Alpha suitable for wavegUiding at wavelength lambda , said tube consisting essentially of material of uniform index to provide guiding primarily within said bore, a gaseous active medium disposed at least partially within the bore of said capillary tube and having a transition capable of providing stimulated emission of radiation at wavelength lambda , means for establishing a discharge through said medium to invert the populations of the energy levels of said transistion, and a resonator of length b for which the Fresnel number Alpha /b2 lambda is less than about 0.5, said resonator together with the tube and said discharge establishing means comprising an enclosure for said medium, the capillary tube having open ends, and the resonator comprising periodic variations in the guiding properties of said tube, said variations being distributed axially along said tube adjacent the bore throughout portions near said ends at a multiple of lambda /4, the discharge establishing means comprising dielectric members forming bulbous enclosures over said ends of said tube, and a cathode and an anode penetrating respective ones of said dielectric members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
189 words
A gas laser comprising a capillary tube of bore diameter Alpha suitable for wavegUiding at wavelength lambda , said tube consisting essentially of material of uniform index to provide guiding primarily within said bore, a gaseous active medium disposed at least partially within the bore of said capillary tube and having a transition capable of providing stimulated emission of radiation at wavelength lambda , means for establishing a discharge through said medium to invert the populations of the energy levels of said transistion, and a resonator of length b for which the Fresnel number Alpha /b2 lambda is less than about 0.5, said resonator together with the tube and said discharge establishing means comprising an enclosure for said medium, the capillary tube having open ends, and the resonator comprising periodic variations in the guiding properties of said tube, said variations being distributed axially along said tube adjacent the bore throughout portions near said ends at a multiple of lambda /4, the discharge establishing means comprising dielectric members forming bulbous enclosures over said ends of said tube, and a cathode and an anode penetrating respective ones of said dielectric members.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-12 | 1977-05-14 | 1977-11-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-12 | 1981-05-14 | 1981-11-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-12 | 1985-05-14 | 1985-11-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |