Optically pumped micro-plasma
AssigneePhysical Sciences, Inc.
InventorsW. Terry Rawlins, Steven J. Davis, Kristin Galbally-Kinney, Jeffrey Hopwood, Alan Hoskinson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laser and methods for providing a continuous wave output beam. The laser and method includes positioning a micro-plasma chip capable of creating micro-plasmas within a resonant cavity. A gas is input into the resonant cavity and flows around the micro-plasma chip. Micro-plasmas ignite and excite the gas to create metastables. The metastables are further excited by an optical pump having an energy sufficient to cause the metastables to lase.
Claims14
A laser for providing a continuous wave output beam, the laser configured to receive light from a light source, the laser comprising:
- a micro-plasma chip;
- a resonant optical cavity for housing the micro-plasma chip at a location that allows a gas flowing within the resonant cavity to surround the micro-plasma chip, such that the micro-plasma chip generates a plurality of micro-plasmas that include excited metastable atoms;
- and
- an optical pump, positioned relative to the micro-plasma chip, to direct light from the light source onto the micro-plasmas to optically pump the metastable atoms to cause lasing of the gas sufficient to generate the continuous wave output beam.
A method for providing a continuous wave output beam from a laser, the laser configured to receive light from a light source, the method comprising:
- providing a flow of gas into a resonant optical cavity;
- applying power to a micro-plasma chip that is positioned within the resonant cavity at a location that allows the gas to surround the micro-plasma chip, causing the micro-plasma chip to generate a plurality of micro-plasmas that include excited metastable atoms;
- and
- directing light from the light source onto the plurality of micro-plasmas to optically pump the metastable atoms to cause lasing of the gas sufficient to generate the continuous wave output beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.