US4201955A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of producing population inversion and lasing at short wavelengths by charge transfer
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1978-03-22
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Granted: 1980-05-06
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Expires: 1998-03-22
Abstract
Abstract A stimulated emission device operative in the ultraviolet and soft x-ray regions. A high-power infrared laser is focused on a slab target vaporizing the material and generating highly stripped target ions with varying velocities. Just prior to laser initiation, a gaseous environment of helium, hydrogen, argon or neon is injected to surround the target (e.g., carbon) at a pressure of from 1-10 Torr. The injected gas and associated electrons modify and mix the interacting particles originating from the vaporized target. Ion-atom resonance, charge-transfer reactions take place to form excited-state ions to produce amplified stimulated emission in the 300-800 Angstrom region.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond C. Elton
- 👤 Robert H. Dixon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:26
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S4/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
Apparatus for generating stimulated emission comprising: a housing, a target within said housing, means for admitting a gaseous medium about said target, laser means for irradiating said target to generate highly stripped target ions with varying velocities, whereby reactions between said highly stripped target ions and a gaseous medium electron environment about said target produce a population inversion with stimulated emission.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus for generating stimulated emission comprising: a housing, a target within said housing, means for admitting a gaseous medium about said target, laser means for irradiating said target to generate highly stripped target ions with varying velocities, whereby reactions between said highly stripped target ions and a gaseous medium electron environment about said target produce a population inversion with stimulated emission.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which: said gaseous medium is selected from the group consisting of helium, hydrogen, argon and neon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said gaseous mediumm is helium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which: said helium gas is admitted at a pressure of from 1 to 10 Torr.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which: said laser means produces a target irradiance of at least 2×10 11 watts/cm 2 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which: said gaseous medium is helium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 which includes: means for evacuating said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which: said helium is admitted at a pressure of from 1 to 10 Torr.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which: said target is selected from the group consisting of beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said target is carbon and said medium/electron environment comprises a helium/electron mixture.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for generating stimulated emission comprising: surrounding a target with a gas and electron mixture, irradiating said target with a high power laser output to generate highly stripped target ions, thereby forming a plasma with inverted excited state population densities, whereby stimulated emission is generated by resonance charge transfer in the inverted excited state population densities in said plasma.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for generating stimulated emission comprising: surrounding a target with a gas and electron mixture, irradiating said target with a high power laser output to generate highly stripped target ions, thereby forming a plasma with inverted excited state population densities, whereby stimulated emission is generated by resonance charge transfer in the inverted excited state population densities in said plasma.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 in which: the gas in said mixture is selected from the group consisting of helium, hydrogen, argon and neon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 in which: the gas in said mixture is helium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein: said target is irradiated by a laser with an output of at least 2×10 11 Watts/cm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 in which said target is selected from the group consisting of beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said target is carbon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4058486A
Cited
US4053783A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-05-06 | 1983-11-05 | 1984-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-05-06 | 1987-11-05 | 1988-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-05-06 | 1991-11-05 | 1992-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |