Cavity for intensity build up of multiple lasers
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsYi Zeng, Nicholas Hutzler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes a cavity accumulating the intensity of the laser beams reflecting within the cavity to build up power while also maintaining a relatively uniform intensity distribution. An apparatus comprising the cavity can be used to build up the power of the electromagnetic radiation for interacting with material, wherein the material does not substantially reflect or absorb the electromagnetic radiation.
Claims20
A cavity for electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
- a first concave mirror having a focal length;
- a second concave mirror comprising the focal length and having an entry hole for receiving a laser beam into the cavity, wherein:
- the second mirror and the first mirror face each other and are separated by a distance of slightly smaller than four times the focal length so that the cavity is in a near concentric configuration;
- a radial distance of the entry hole from a center of the second concave mirror is:
- smaller than ½ of the radius of the mirror;
- and
- larger than a minimum distance required for at least 10 passes of the laser beam reflecting between the mirrors;
- and
- the laser beam is a near collimated gaussian beam having its focus adjusted so that all the passes of the laser beam overlap to buildup power of the electromagnetic radiation in a uniform intensity distribution in cross-sections perpendicular to a length of the cavity.
The apparatus of embodiment 10, wherein the build up is configured to enhance initiation of a reaction of the material.
A method of making an cavity, comprising:
- positioning a first concave mirror having a focal length;
- positioning a second concave mirror having the focal length and an entry hole, at a distance from the first mirror that is slightly less than four times the focal length;
- aligning the optical axis of the two mirrors facing each other, optionally allowing for a misalignment;
- launching a near-collimated laser beam through the entry hole so that the laser beam reflects back from the first mirror to a position just touching the entry hole and the subsequent reflected positions of the laser beam form a circle on the mirror;
- and
- adjusting a focus of the laser beam so that the circulating laser beams within the cavity overlap with each other and form a uniform intensity distribution on the mirrors and on cross sections along the length of the cavity.
A kit for making an optical cavity, comprising:
- a first concave mirror having a focal length;
- a second concave mirror comprising the focal length and having an entry hole for receiving a laser beam, wherein:
- a radial distance of the entry hole from a center of the second concave mirror is smaller than ½ of the radius of the mirror;
- and
- larger than a minimum distance required for at least 10 passes of the laser beam between the mirrors when the mirrors are separated in the near concentric configuration;
- the entry hole is sized such that the laser beam can fit within the entry hole without allowing substantial leakage of the circulating laser beam within the cavity;
- and
- a laser and focusing element configured for outputting the gaussian laser beam having its focus adjusted so that all the passes of the laser beam in the cavity overlap to buildup power of the electromagnetic radiation in a uniform intensity distribution across cross-sections perpendicular to the length of the cavity when the cavity is assembled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.