Dynamic compensating laser telescope apparatus
US5383060A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 1992 |
| Grant date | Jan 17, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B7/08
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A laser telescope is provided for reducing undesired laser thermal lensing effects which would otherwise impair the intensity and quality of a laser beam passing therethrough. An outer barrel is mounted in a chamber within a housing by ball bearings which hold the outer barrel longitudinally fixed but permits rotation of the outer barrel about its longitudinal axis. An inner barrel is coaxially situated within the outer barrel and includes a threaded outer surface which is threaded into a threaded inner surface of the outer barrel. A first lens is mounted adjacent one end of the chamber and a second lens is mounted in the inner barrel. A laser beam is directed through the laser telescope along the common axis of the chamber, the outer barrel, and the inner barrel. The lens spacing in the barrels is sensed and actuates a drive motor in proportion to the error between the sensed lens spacing and the desired lens spacing. The distance between the first and second lenses is varied in response to the error signals to adjust the focus of the laser beam to minimize thermal lensing effects.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.