System and method for providing thermal management of an obscured laser system
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsByron B. Taylor, Eric M. Palmer, David G. Jenkins
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Abstract
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a system for providing thermal management of an obscured laser system is provided that includes a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, and a plurality of energy redirectors. The primary mirror is configured to reflect beam energy for the laser system. The secondary mirror is configured to function as a limiting aperture for the laser system and is aligned on-axis with respect to the primary mirror. The energy redirectors are each configured to redirect energy away from a corresponding obscuration and out of the laser system.
Claims20
A system for providing thermal management of an obscured laser system comprising:
- a primary mirror configured to reflect beam energy for the laser system;
- a secondary mirror configured to function as a limiting aperture for the laser system, wherein the secondary mirror is aligned substantially on-axis with respect to the primary mirror;
- and
- a plurality of energy redirectors, wherein each of the energy redirectors is configured to redirect energy away from a corresponding obscuration and out of the laser system.
A system for providing thermal management of an obscured laser system comprising:
- a primary mirror configured to reflect beam energy for the laser system;
- a secondary mirror configured to function as a limiting aperture for the laser system, wherein the secondary mirror is aligned substantially on-axis with respect to the primary mirror and the secondary mirror comprises a central region;
- and
- a central energy redirector configured to redirect energy directed toward the central region, wherein the primary mirror is configured to reflect the energy redirected away from the central region by the central energy redirector.
A method for providing thermal management of an obscured laser system comprising:
- receiving laser energy at a primary/secondary set, wherein the primary/secondary set comprises a primary mirror and a secondary mirror aligned substantially on-axis with respect to the primary mirror;
- directing a first portion of the laser energy into beam energy for the laser system;
- and
- directing a second portion of the laser energy away from a plurality of obscurations in the laser system and out of the laser system as excess energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.