USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Richard Swart Hughes

James L Jernigan

Lynn D Hutcheson

Peter R Hammond

Nicholas Bottka

Keith L Gardner

John P Rahn

Howard A Wilcox

Julian L Thompson

Michel Paul Imbert

Russell R Van Devender, Jr

Thomas F Nowicki

A companding digital to analog converter (DAC) of a digital input and exponential output is utilized to drive a PIN diode having a logarithmic attenuation characteristic. An RF signal applied to the diode is linearly attenuated by the diode and variably controlled by digital means through the DAC.

Pin diode linear attenuator controlled by a companding DAC

A multiple pulse laser from a single resonant cavity. An acousto-optic cell s used to modulate coherent light from a lasing element. Either multiple chirp signals or a masked mirror are used to provide distinct pulses of light. Through proper choice of materials for the acousto-optic cell and use of divergent optics, a higher power level is obtained. Use of a multi-tapped delay line permits a shorter period between pulses due to the linear superposition principle. When the mask embodiment is used, the acousto-optic cell focuses light which scans across the mask. Whenever the focused light passes through the mask, lasing occurs which generates an output pulse.

Multiple pulse laser

A tunable laser using surface acoustic waves in the sides of a piezoelect prism to provide two reflective diffraction gratings for tuning the resonant cavity.

Surface acoustic wave tuning for lasers

A liquid mirror for high energy lasers. A working liquid such as mercury, used as the reflecting surface for laser light. Dielectric enhanced reflecting techniques can be used to increase significantly the amount of reflection from the working liquid. The liquid is contained in a pressure cell behind a transparent optical flat. By varying the pressure cell of the liquid, compensation for the aberration caused by heat absorption can be made. These same pressure changes can be used to correct for laser beam wavefront distortions produced elsewhere in the laser, director or atmosphere.

Deformable liquid mirror

A frequency agile optical radar system including a frequency agile laser rce coupled with an extra-cavity dispersive element in such a manner as to radiate into space specific optical frequencies correlated with specific elevation angles measured from the horizontal. Laser radiation reflected from an object in space is detected by a staring detector system and the wavelength of the reflected optical energy determined therefrom. The elevation angle of the object in space is correlated with the optical frequency determination and coupled together with target range and aximuth angle so that the position and range to an object in space may be determined.

Frequency agile optical radar

A scanning spectrophotometer employes fixed optics to produce a dispersion f optical energy. The dispersed optical energy is scanned by a fixed position surface acoustic wave photoelectric transducer. The scan rate of the surface acoustic wave photoelectric transducer is determined by associated electronic circuitry to produce scan rates permitting real-time spectral measurements from a moving platform.

Ultrafast scanning spectrophotometer

A laser using electrogenerated chemiluminescence wherein an organic dye lasing solution is made to flow through or over alternately charged electrodes to charge the dye molecules which are then hydrodynamically diffused to maximize the production of excited molecules, for stimulated emission.

Electrogenerated chemiluminescent (ECL) laser

Stripe-domain light deflectors are used within a lasing cavity. Magnetic trol of the deflectors permits tuning of the laser light to any wavelength in the range of light present.

Magneto-optically tuned lasers

A rapid laser scanning system utilizing an optical grating coupler (OGC) reby the angle at which an incident laser beam is outputted therefrom may be varied by the imposition of an electric field on a thin film underlying the coupler at right angles to the path of the laser beam through the thin film.

Optical integrated circuit laser beam scanner

An acousto-optical deflector tuned organic dye laser wherein the tuning eent comprises a diffraction grating and a Bragg diffraction cell driven by an RF responsive, ultrasonic transducer. An optional angle multiplier may be used between the cell and the grating.

Acousto-optical deflector tuned organic dye laser

A tunable organic dye laser having an acoustic-optic beam deflector, a fod Lyot filter and a diffraction grating which produces a periodic, discrete (or digital) output. The period between discrete wavelengths in the output of the laser are easily varied electronically.

Electronically controlled digital laser

A tunable laser wherein the tuning element is intracavity and comprises a larizing prism for linearly polarizing the beam, and an electronically tunable filter backed by a retroreflective surface.

Acousto-optically tuned laser

A tunable laser having a laser material capable of being tuned such as an ganic dye, tuning means including an intra-cavity semiconductor element to which an electric field can be applied, and an angle sensitive filter or reflector such as a diffraction grating.

Franz-Keldysh effect tuned laser

A dye laser having a high frequency rate of modulation wherein a Franz-Kesh filter is in the laser cavity to quench Q, and thereby provide modulation. The filter has an absorption edge that shifts in response to an applied electric field, thereby, modulating the laser beam.

Laser with a high frequency rate of modulation

An electro-optically tuned organic dye laser having an electro-optic cell d a diffraction grating. A varying electrical field is supplied to the cell to cause the laser beam to be swept across the stationary diffraction grating which reflects a specific wavelength for each angle of incidence.

Growing community of inventors

China Lake, CA, United States of America

Richard Swart Hughes