Patent · US Expired

Diffused waveguiding capillary tube with distributed feedback for a gas laser

US3939439A · kind A · utility

13Cited by

1References

17Claims

0Family size

Inventors

James C. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Fletcher
Charles Elachi · Pasadena, US

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 17, 1974
Grant date	Feb 17, 1976
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 17, 1994

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH01S3/0315
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

For use in a waveguide gas laser a capillary tube of glass or ceramic has an inner surface defining a longitudinal capillary opening through which the laser gas flows. At least a portion of the inner surface is corrugated with corrugations or channels with a periodicity .LAMBDA. where .LAMBDA. = 1/2.lambda., .lambda. being the laser gas wavelength. The tube includes a diffused region extending outwardly from the opening. The diffused region of a depth d on the order of 1.lambda. to 3.lambda. acts as a waveguide for the waves, with the corrugations producing distributed feedback. The evanescent component of the waves travelling in the diffused region interact with the laser gas in the opening, gaining energy therefrom, and thereby amplifying the waves travelling in the diffused region, which exit the diffused region, surrounding the opening, as a beam of wavelength .lambda..

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.