Phase locked free electron laser with rational mode locking
AssigneeUniversity of Hawaii
InventorEric Brent Szarmes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compound intercavity interferometer for a free-electron laser (FEL) comprising at least two beam splitters positioned at a predetermined angles with respect to optical pathways. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims.
Claims26
A compound intercavity interferometer for a free-electron laser (FEL), the FEL further comprising a wiggler disposed intermediate a first mirror and a second mirror and aligned substantially about an optical pathway which defines an optical axis, the compound intercavity interferometer comprising:
- a. an optical non-birefringent crystal coupler positioned at a first predetermined angle with respect to the optical axis, the first predetermined angle being substantially equal to θINC, the optical non-birefringent crystal coupler adapted to receive light at an input, transmit a first portion of the received light to a first interferometer, and transmit a second portion of the received light to a light output of the optical non-birefringent crystal coupler;
- and
- b. an optical birefringent crystal filter adapted to receive the second portion of light transmitted by the optical non-birefringent crystal coupler, the optical birefringent crystal filer positioned at a second predetermined angle with respect to the second portion of light, the second predetermined angle being approximately equal to the Brewster angle, the optical birefringent crystal filter further comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the optical birefringent crystal filter adapted to transmit separate portions of light exiting the optical birefringent crystal filter to at least one of a second interferometer, the second mirror, or a light output.
A compound intercavity interferometer for a free-electron laser (FEL) comprising:
- a. a first beam splitter positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to an optical pathway within an FEL, the first beam splitter further comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first beam splitter adapted to receive light along the optical pathway and further adapted to transmit a predetermined first portion of light incident to the first surface to a first resonator and transmit a second portion of light incident to the first surface through the second surface;
- and
- b. a second beam splitter positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to the second portion of light, the second beam splitter comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface such that a predetermined portion of light entering the second beam splitter is transmitted to a second resonator.
A compound intercavity interferometer for FEL lasers comprising:
- a. a first birefringent plate disposed within the FEL at a predetermined angle;
- and
- b. a second birefringent plate disposed within the FEL at a predetermined angle, the second birefringent plate disposed substantially parallel to the first birefringent plate;
- c. wherein a first predetermined portion of the first birefringent plate and a second predetermined portion of the second birefringent plate define a vacuum gap disposed intermediate the first birefringent plate and the second birefringent plate.
A resonator for a free-electron laser (FEL) comprising:
- a. a first mirror aligned along a first optical pathway disposed at least partially within the FEL;
- b. a second mirror disposed at a predetermined position at least partially in the FEL opposite the first mirror;
- c. a wiggler disposed in the FEL intermediate the first mirror and the second mirror and aligned substantially about the optical pathway;
- and
- d. a compound intercavity interferometer, further comprising:
- i. a birefringent plate disposed within the FEL substantially about the optical pathway at a predetermined angle relative to the optical pathway;
- ii. a Michelson interferometer able to receive a predetermined portion of light provided by the birefringent plate;
- and
- iii. a birefringent Fox-Smith laser interferometer nested within the Michelson interferometer;
- e. wherein
- i. an S-polarized reflection at a first surface of the birefringent plate provides an optical coupling in the compound intercavity interferometer for light traveling substantially about the optical pathway;
- ii. a second surface of the birefringent plate exploits birefringence to yield P-polarization;
- iii. a predetermined portion of the light entering the compound intercavity interferometer is diverted to reflect off the second mirror;
- and
- iv. a predetermined first portion of the light entering the birefringent plate is diverted to the Fox-Smith resonator and a predetermined second portion of the light entering the birefringent plate is diverted to the Michelson resonator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.