Laser beam directional deviation and noise stabilization device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorRobert K. McMahan, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laser beam directional deviation and noise stabilization device is disclosed as incorporating a laser which broadcast a monochromatic laser light beam along a predetermined optical path, and a plurality of optical elements which eliminate from the laser light beam any beam wander, and power level fluctuations inherent within the laser light beam.
Claims11
A laser beam directional deviation and noise stabilization device comprising, in combination:
- means for projecting a monochromatic first light beam along a predetermined light path, said monochromatic first light beam having a predetermined beam diameter;
- means spatially disposed from said first light beam projecting means on said predetermined light path for collimating said monochromatic first light beam so as to form a collimated monochromatic second light beam, said collimated monochromatic second light beam having removed therefrom any beam directional deviation inherent within said monochromatic first light beam;
- means spatially disposed from said collimating means on said predetermined light path for reconstructing said collimated monochromatic second light beam so as to form a monochromatic third light beam, said monochromatic third light beam having a beam diameter the same as the beam diameter of said monochromatic first light beam without the beam directional deviations inherent within said monochromatic first light beam;
- and
- stabilizing means spatially disposed from said reconstructing means on said predetermined light path for maintaining the output power of said monochromatic third light beam at a constant value by eliminating from said monochromatic third light beam any power level deviations and noise inherent within said monochromatic third light beam.
An apparatus having a plurality of optical elements disposed along a predetermined optical path for removing from a monochromatic laser light beam broadcast along said predetermined optical light path any directional deviation inherent therein, and for stabilizing the output power of said monochromatic laser light beam comprising, in combination:
- a spatially filtered collimator disposed on said predetermined optical path;
- a Galilean collimator spatially disposed downstream from said spatially filtered collimator on said predetermined optical path;
- and
- a broadband electro-optic feedback loop servomechanism spatially disposed downstream from said Galilean collimator on said predetermined optical path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.