Transparent electrode for optical switch
US4615588A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 19, 1984 |
| Grant date | Oct 7, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J15/00
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A low pressure gas electrode utilizing ionized gas in a glow discharge regime forms a transparent electrode for electro-optical switches. The transparent electrode comprises a low pressure gas region on both sides of the crystal. When the gas is ionized, e.g., by a glow discharge in the low pressure gas, the plasma formed is a good conductor. The gas electrode acts as a highly uniform conducting electrode. Since the plasma is transparent to a high energy laser beam passing through the crystal, the electrode is a transparent electrode. A crystal exposed from two sides to such a plasma can be charged up uniformly to any desired voltage. The plasma can be created either by the main high voltage pulser used to charge up the crystal or by auxiliary discharges or external sources of ionization. A typical configuration utilizes 10 torr argon in the discharge region adjacent to each crystal face.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.