The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 28, 1999
Arthur Henry Bauer, Newbury Park, CA (US);
Alan Zachary Ullman, Northridge, CA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
A wavelength selective laser system and associated method are provided that produce laser beams having wavelengths that are only slightly different, but that permit a composite return signal to be selectively processed in accordance with the wavelengths of the signals that comprise the composite return signal. The wavelength selective laser system includes first and second lasers for producing respective laser beams. Each of the first and second lasers define a nominal gain spectrum. However, the wavelength selective laser system also includes a magnetic field generator disposed about the second laser for altering the gain spectrum of the second laser such that the wavelengths of the laser beams produced by the first and second lasers differ by at least one part per million. As such, the first laser will emit signals having a first wavelength and the second laser will emit signals having a second wavelength. The wavelength selective laser system also includes means for directing a composite return signal to the second laser. As a result of the altered gain spectrum of the second laser, the second laser will preferentially amplify the signals of the composite return signal that were originally emitted by the second laser relative to the signals of the composite return signal that were originally emitted by the first laser, even in instances in which the wavelengths differ by only one or several parts per million.