Method and apparatus for initiating, directing and constricting electrical discharge arcs
AssigneeThe Ohio State University
InventorsCharles E. Albright, Joseph W. Rich, Richard B. Miles, Walter R. Lempert, Sergy O. Macheret
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Abstract
A method and associated apparatus for initiating and guiding an electrical discharge arc. This method preferably comprises the steps of: providing a laser beam through a predetermined gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by a laser beam so as to cause vibrational excitation of the molecules and to define a beam path in a direction of desired electrical discharge; and propagating an electrical discharge arc so as to intersect the beam path, whereby the electrical discharge arc is directed along the beam path.
Claims55
A method of initiating an electrical discharge arc, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a laser beam through an arc shielding gas, said gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by said laser beam, so as to define a beam path comprising molecules vibrationally excited by said laser beam without substantially heating said gas;
- and
- (b) propagating an electrical discharge arc along said laser beam path and through said vibrationally excited molecules.
A method of directing an electrical discharge arc along a first vector path, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a laser beam through an arc shielding gas, said gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by said laser beam, so as to define a beam path, said beam path directed along a first vector path comprising molecules vibrationally excited by said laser beam without substantially heating said gas;
- and
- (b) propagating an electrical discharge arc along a second vector path so as to intersect said first vector path, whereby said electrical discharge arc is directed along said first vector path and through said vibrationally excited molecules.
A method of constricting an electrical discharge arc, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a laser beam through an arc shielding gas, said gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by said laser beam, so as to define a beam path, said beam path having a first cross-section area and comprising molecules vibrationally excited by said laser beam without substantially heating said gas;
- and
- (b) propagating an electrical discharge arc initially having a second cross-section area greater than said first cross-section area along said beam path and through said vibrationally excited molecules, whereby said electrical discharge arc is constricted so as to have a cross-section area less than said second cross-section area.
An apparatus for initiating an electrical discharge arc, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a source of an arc shielding gas;
- (b) a laser adapted to provide a laser beam through said arc shielding gas, said gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by said laser beam, so as to define a beam path comprising molecules vibrationally excited by said laser beam without substantially heating said gas;
- and
- (c) a source of an electrical discharge arc adapted to provide an electrical discharge along said laser beam path and through said vibrationally excited molecules.
An apparatus for directing an electrical discharge arc along a first vector path, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a source of an arc shielding gas;
- (b) a laser adapted to provide a laser beam through said arc shielding gas, said gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by said laser beam, so as to define a beam path said beam path directed along a first vector path comprising molecules vibrationally excited by said laser beam without substantially heating said gas;
- and
- (c) a source of an electrical discharge arc adapted to provide an electrical discharge along a second vector path so as to intersect said first vector path, whereby said electrical discharge arc is directed along said first vector path and through said vibrationally excited molecules.
An apparatus for directing an electrical discharge arc along a first vector path, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a source of an arc shielding gas;
- (b) a laser adapted to provide a laser beam through an arc shielding gas, said gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by said laser beam, so as to define a beam path, said beam path having a first cross-section area and comprising molecules vibrationally excited by said laser beam without substantially heating said gas;
- and
- (c) a source of an electrical discharge arc adapted to provide an electrical discharge arc initially having a second cross-section area greater than said first cross-section area along said beam path and through said vibrationally excited molecules, whereby said electrical discharge arc is constricted so as to have a cross-section area less than said second cross-section area.
A method of directing a natural lightning discharge through the earth's atmosphere and along a first vector path to the earth, said method comprising the steps:
- (a) providing a laser beam through the earth's atmosphere and along a first vector path, said gas comprising molecules amenable to vibrational excitation by said laser beam, so as to define a beam path, said beam path directed along a first vector path comprising molecules vibrationally excited by said laser beam without substantially heating said atmosphere;
- and
- (b) allowing a natural lightning discharge to propagate along a second vector path so as to intersect said first vector path, whereby said natural lightning discharge is directed along said first vector path and through said vibrationally excited molecules to the earth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.