Process for eliminating small-scale intensity fluctuations of laser beams

Abstract

A method for eliminating small-scale, spatial intensity fluctuations in laser beams is disclosed comprising the steps of placing in the path of the laser beam at least one nonlinear filtering element constituted by a fluid medium, having an index of refraction increasing with the intensity of light passing through the fluid medium and focusing only the laser's small-scale, spatial intensity fluctuations above a predetermined power threshold at a focal point within the fluid medium whereby the energy contained in these fluctuations is dissipated. Alternatively, the nonlinear filter element can be constituted by a fluid medium wherein high-frequency sound waves propagate with low attenuation wherein only the small-scale, spatial intensity fluctuations above a stimulated Brillouin power threshold are back-reflected whereby the energy contained in those fluctuations is eliminated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.