Other

Avco Everett Research Laboratory, Inc.

Charles C Stewart

Evan R Pugh

Richard M Patrick

Joel M Avidor

John W Lothrop

In an apparatus for treatment of a process flow by beams of ionizing radiant energy, drag elements are provided for slowing flow velocity to achieve equal treatment of all portions of the process flow.

Fluid-dynamic means for efficaceous use of ionizing beams in treating

The aerodynamic window is formed of a contiguous pair of gas jet streams driven at subsonic velocity across the entire cross-sectional area of an annular laser beam. One of the jet streams has a shear interface with the interior gas of the laser and has its index of refraction matched to it. The other interfaces with the outside air into which the beam passes and it too has a refraction index matched to the air. Matching of the indices minimizes optical distortion of the beam at the shear interfaces. Distortion produced at the boundary layer of the contiguous jet streams is minimized by equalizing their velocities. To maintain a desired laser cavity pressure, the jet streams are permitted to bend responsively to the pressure differential. The degree of the bending is controlled to reduce window gas consumption.

Growing community of inventors

Concord, MA, United States of America

Charles C Stewart