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US 4,539,685 AGranted
Passively Q-switched laser having a variable pulse rate
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsRichard A. Hart, Charles Bartkowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A passively Q-switched RF powered laser provides a variable output pulse format by controlling the duration of applied RF power and the time interval between application of power. High repetition rates may be used for scanning and target acquisition in a laser radar system and low repetition rates may be used for ranging.
Claims3
A passively Q-switched laser system having an optical cavity for resonating laser radiation, including an optical gain medium comprising:
- RF means for applying RF power to said gain medium;
- Q-switch absorbing means disposed within said optical cavity;
- and
- means for coupling radiation out of said cavity, characterized in that:
- said laser system includes a detector responsive to laser radiation resonated within said cavity for generating a signal;
- controller means responsive to said signal for controllig said RF means for applying RF power to turn off said RF means for a predetermined off period commencing after a predetermined delay from said signal.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.