Techniques and apparatus for managing lasing gas concentrations
US9673588B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 25, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jun 6, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/227
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Techniques and architecture are disclosed for managing alkali vapor concentration in a lasing gas at non-condensing levels. In some instances, the disclosed techniques/architecture can be used to control and/or stabilize the concentration of alkali vapor in a lasing gas volume to any desired fraction of its saturation value under dynamically changing thermal loads. In some such instances, the concentration of alkali vapor in a given lasing gas volume can be maintained at a value which is sufficiently far from the saturation point to prevent or otherwise reduce condensation of the alkali vapor, for example, upon accelerating the lasing gas through a pressure drop into an optical pumping cavity of an alkali vapor laser system (e.g., such as a diode-pumped alkali laser, or DPAL, system). In some instances, the disclosed techniques/architecture can be used to establish a temperature gradient and/or an alkali vapor concentration gradient in the flowing lasing gas volume.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.