Self-aligning phase conjugate laser
US4812639A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 1985 |
| Grant date | Mar 14, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 19, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/27
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a laser beam that is automatically aligned with a substantially rigid, stabilized platform or frame that can be oriented over a wide angular range, such as by the gimbals of a laser pointing and tracking system. A single-transverse-mode master laser oscillator 12 is mounted on the stabilized platform 13 which is part of the inner gimbal, which can be rotated about an elevation axis 16, and a multipass laser amplifier 21 wiht a phase conjugation mirror 22 and an optional nonlinear frequency-conversion device 20 are located off the inner gimbal. An outer gimbal or pedestal mount permits rotation about an azimuthal axis 17. The laser oscillator 12 and laser amplifier 21 are coupled by means of a beamsplitter 15 and two reflecting elements 18 and 19. The laser media used for the oscillator 12 and amplifier 21 are either the same, or compatible media having the same wavelength. In an alternative embodiment the two reflecting elements are replaced by a flexible ligh waveguide such as a glass fiber. The phase conjugation mirror 22 compensates the beam for the effects of optical aberrations caused by thermally induced changes in the amplif…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.