US4592064A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Inner-shell d-electron photoionization apparatus
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1983-09-30
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Granted: 1986-05-27
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Expires: 2003-09-30
Abstract
Abstract Described is a high gain, soft X-ray pumped, inner-shell, photoionization amplifier/laser in Cd or Zn vapors. The soft X-ray photoionization, generated by a laser-produced plasma or other high intensity X-ray source, preferentially removes inner-shell d-electrons from neutral atoms leaving them ionized in a 2 D state and producing a population inversion with respect to a lower lying 2 p state. Also described are techniques for achieving inversions with respect to the ion ground state of Cd, Zn or Hg by optically pumping from the inner-shell ionized state to a higher energy level. Iso-electronic scaling of Cd, Zn and Hg suggests similar lasing phenomena exist, for example, in Ga, In and Tl ions, respectively, and also higher iso-electronic sequences.
Inventors
- 👤 William T. Silfvast
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 22:21
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/14; H01S3/22; H01S3/227
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
Stimulated emission apparatus comprising means for providing atoms or ions in a target energy state which is absorptive of X-rays, the energy levels of said atoms or ions including upper and lower optically coupled laser levels, said upper level being nonmetastable, and means for generating population inversion between said upper and lower laser levels including means for generating X-rays having a wavelength effective to remove preferentially inner-shell d-electrons from said atoms or ions in said target state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
Stimulated emission apparatus comprising means for providing atoms or ions in a target energy state which is absorptive of X-rays, the energy levels of said atoms or ions including upper and lower optically coupled laser levels, said upper level being nonmetastable, and means for generating population inversion between said upper and lower laser levels including means for generating X-rays having a wavelength effective to remove preferentially inner-shell d-electrons from said atoms or ions in said target state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target state providing means includes means for providing neutral atoms in a ground state corresponding to said target state, and said X-ray generating means ionizes said atoms directly into said upper laser level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said generating means produces X-ray pulses having a duration shorter than the lifetime of said upper laser level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said neutral ground state is a 1 S state of said atom, said upper laser level is a 2 D ion state and said lower laser level is a 2 P ion state.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said atoms are selected from the group consisting of Cd and Zn atoms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said atoms comprise Cd atoms and the energy separation of said upper and lower laser levels corresponds to approximately 3250 Å and 4416 Å.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said atoms comprise Zn atoms and the energy separation of said upper and lower laser levels corresponds to approximately 5896 Å and 7481 Å.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target state providing means includes means for providing neutral atoms in a ground state and means for ionizing said atoms to produce ions in a higher energy ion ground state corresponding to said target state, and said X-ray generating means further ionizes said ions directly into said upper laser level.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said generating means produces X-ray pulses having a duration shorter than the lifetime of said upper laser level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said higher energy ion ground state is 1 S state of said atom, said upper laser level is a 2 D state and said lower laser level is a 2 P state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said atoms are selected from the group consisting of Ga and In atoms.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said atoms comprise Ga atoms and the energy separation of said upper and lower laser levels corresponds to approximately 1150 Å and 1085 Å.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said atoms comprise In atoms and the energy separation of said upper and lower laser levels corresponds to approximately 1533 Å and 1850 Å.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ions have an intermediate energy level to which they are excited by said X-ray generating means, said intermediate level being below said upper laser level, and said population inversion generating means further includes transfer laser means for exciting ions from said intermediate level to said upper laser level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said transfer laser means applies to said ions optical pulses having a duration shorter than the lifetime of said upper laser level.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said intermediate state is a 2 D ion state, said upper laser level is a 2 P ion state and said lower laser level is a 2 S ion ground state.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said atoms are selected from the group consisting of Cd, Zn and Hg.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said atoms comprise Cd and the energy separation of said upper and lower laser levels corresponds to a wavelength of about 838-840 Å.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said transfer laser means applies optical pulses having a wavelength of approximately 2008 Å, 2252 Å or 2264 Å.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said transfer laser means applies optical pulses having a wavelength of approximately 1969 Å, 2081 Å or 2082 Å.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said transfer laser means applies optical pulses having a wavelength of approximately 1876 Å.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said atoms comprise Zn and the energy separation of said upper and lower laser levels corresponds to a wavelength of about 880-881 Å.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said atoms comprise Hg and the energy separation of said upper and lower laser levels corresponds to a wavelength of about 963 Å.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, or 23 wherein said X-ray generating means comprises plasma means for generating essentially black-body radiation in a wavelength range of approximately 50-650 Å.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
131 words
Stimulated emission apparatus comprising means for providing neutral atoms in a 1 S ground state, said atoms comprising a vapor phase of atoms selected from the group consisting of Cd and Zn and having a nonmetastable upper laser level corresponding to a singly ionized 2 D state and, optically coupled thereto, a lower laser level corresponding to a 2 P state, and means for generating a population inversion between said upper and lower laser levels comprising plasma means for generating X-ray pulses in a wavelength range of approximately 150-650 Å effective to remove preferentially inner-shell d-electrons from said neutral atoms in said 1 S ground state, thereby ionizing said atoms to said 2 D ion state, the duration of said pulses being shorter than the lifetime of said upper laser level.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
131 words
Stimulated emission apparatus comprising means for providing neutral atoms in a 1 S ground state, said atoms comprising a vapor phase of atoms selected from the group consisting of Cd and Zn and having a nonmetastable upper laser level corresponding to a singly ionized 2 D state and, optically coupled thereto, a lower laser level corresponding to a 2 P state, and means for generating a population inversion between said upper and lower laser levels comprising plasma means for generating X-ray pulses in a wavelength range of approximately 150-650 Å effective to remove preferentially inner-shell d-electrons from said neutral atoms in said 1 S ground state, thereby ionizing said atoms to said 2 D ion state, the duration of said pulses being shorter than the lifetime of said upper laser level.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said atoms comprise Cd, said neutral ground state is a 4d 10 5s 2 1 S state, said upper laser levels are 4d 9 5s 2 2 D 3/2 and 2 D 5/2 states and said lower laser levels are 4d 10 5p 2 P 1/2 and 3/2 0 states, and said upper and lower laser levels are coupled by allowed transitions at approximately 3250 Å and 4416 Å, respectively.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said atoms comprise Zn, said neutral ground state is a 3d 10 4s 2 1 S state, said upper laser levels are 3d 9 4s 2 2 D 3/2 and 2 D 5/2 states and said lower laser levels are 3d 10 4p 2 P 1/2 0 and 2 P 3/2 0 states, and said upper and lower laser levels are coupled by allowed transitions at approximately 5896 Å and 7481 Å, respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3900803A
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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