Continuous high speed modulation of light with light
OwnerLawrence C. Westinventor
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for the continuous high speed switching or modulation of light with light. A flow medium containing an active coupling medium is flowed relative to the light beams so as to continually restore the coupling medium which is degraded by interaction with the light beam, thereby maintaining the coupling medium in a desired condition for modulating a light beam. The problem of removal of heat generated by light power dissipation is eliminated by advective flow of the medium.
Claims19
A method for increasing the speed of modulation of light with light in a coupling medium that enables a controlling light beam directed at the coupling medium to control passage of a controlled light beam through the medium, the speed of modulation being limited by the rate of heat dissipation in the medium, comprising:
- directing a controlling light beam and a controlled light beam to an interaction region of the coupling medium;
- and
- advectively cooling the coupling medium by continuously flowing the coupling medium through the interaction region at least partly transversely to the controlling and controlled light beams to increase the rate of heat dissipation in the coupling medium, thereby increasing the speed of modulation.
Apparatus for increasing the speed of modulation of light with light in a coupling medium that enables a controlling light beam directed at the coupling medium to control passage of a controlled light beam through the medium, the speed of modulation being limited by the rate of heat dissipation in the medium, comprising:
- first means disposed about the coupling medium for directing a controlling light beam to an interaction region of the coupling medium;
- second means disposed about the coupling medium for directing a controlled light beam to the same interaction region of the coupling medium;
- and
- third means disposed about the coupling medium to continuously flow the coupling medium at least partly transversely to the controlling and controlled light beams to provide advective cooling of the coupling medium to increase the rate of heat dissipation in the coupling medium and the speed of modulation.
A laser gate having increased speed of switching an output of the laser gate on and off, comprising:
- a resonant laser cavity containing an active gain medium, pumping means connected to the resonant cavity for exciting the gain medium, and energy extracting means disposed about the cavity for removing an output of the laser cavity, the resonant laser cavity including a coupling medium to switch the output of the laser cavity on and off by means of a controlling beam incident on an interaction region of the coupling medium, the coupling medium being flowed to provide advective cooling of the coupling medium to increase heat dissipation and switching speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.