High temperature electrode seal in a ring laser gyro
US6704111B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 9, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 28, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/0388
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A ring laser gyro having a high temperature seal. The ring laser gyro includes a laser block of known construction having a closed loop passage formed within the block in the shape of a polygon. Mirrors positioned at the intersection of each side of the polygon-shaped closed loop passage create an optical closed loop path through passage. A lasing gas is sealed within the closed loop passage, and electrodes mounted to the block and in fluid communication with the passage create at least one laser that traverses the optical closed loop path in the passage. The electrodes are mounted on the laser block with a high temperature seal comprising a washer having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and an optical bond between the washer and the laser block In a preferred embodiment, the laser block and the washer are formed from the same material to ensure that these structures expand at substantially the same rate when the ring laser gyro is used in a high temperature application.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.