Research/Patents/US 4876693
US 4876693Tier 1 — UAP Program Assignee

INTEGRATED LASER HEAD AND LOW INDUCTANCE PULSE FORMING CIRCUIT FOR PULSED GAS LASERS

Assignee

Hughes Aircraft

Filed as: HUGHES AIRCRAFT COMPANY

Filed

Dec 26, 1984

Granted

Oct 24, 1989

Location

El Segundo CA (Aerospace Corp/TRW)

Abstract

Integrated laser head apparatus is disclosed for producing high energy pulses in pulsed gas lasers. The present invention provides high energy pulses over short time durations suitable for laser rangefinder systems due to an improvement in the arrangement of energy storage capacitors (22, 24) which keeps circuit inductance to a minimum. The pair of nested, ceramic capacitors (22, 24) are substantially cylindrical and are coupled through thin conductive layers (23). The capacitors are charged by a spark gap trigger (14), an inductor (18), and a charging resistor (52). The capacitors (22, 24) enclose a pressure vessel (28) which further encloses a laser resonator (12) including a laser output coupler mirror (42), totally reflective mirror (44), discharge electrodes (32, 34) and a central chamber (30) which contains a pressurized gaseous phase laser medium. The high voltage discharge electrode (32) is disposed coaxially with the surrounding capacitors (22, 24).

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Imposed

Jun 28, 1985

Rescinded

Feb 3, 1989

Duration

3 years, 7 months

Inventor

  • 1DAVID J. LUCERO

Sensitive facility: El Segundo CA (Aerospace Corp/TRW)

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Back to patent indexSource: USPTO 35 USC §181 secrecy order records