Laser fusion pulse shape controller
First Claim
1. An optical pulse shape controller comprising a first energy source responsive to an optical trigger signal to generate a light beam, a Kerr-effect gate including at least one Kerr cell disposed at the output of said first source and responsive to an optical control signal to gate only a selected portion of said light beam, said selected portion being a function of the duration and intensity pattern of said optical control signal, a second source of pulsed light energy, and means disposed at the output of said second source and responsive to an output light pulse from said second source to provide said optical trigger signal and said optical control signal of preselected duration and intensity pattern.
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Abstract
An apparatus for controlling the pulse shape, i.e., the pulse duration and intensity pattern, of a pulsed laser system, and which is particularly well adapted for controlling the pellet ignition pulse in a laser-driven fusion reaction system. The apparatus comprises a laser generator for providing an optical control pulse of the shape desired, a pulsed laser triggered by the control pulse, and a plurality of optical Kerr-effect gates serially disposed at the output of the pulsed laser and selectively triggered by the control pulse to pass only a portion of the pulsed laser output generally corresponding in shape to the control pulse.
11 Citations
7 Claims
- 1. An optical pulse shape controller comprising a first energy source responsive to an optical trigger signal to generate a light beam, a Kerr-effect gate including at least one Kerr cell disposed at the output of said first source and responsive to an optical control signal to gate only a selected portion of said light beam, said selected portion being a function of the duration and intensity pattern of said optical control signal, a second source of pulsed light energy, and means disposed at the output of said second source and responsive to an output light pulse from said second source to provide said optical trigger signal and said optical control signal of preselected duration and intensity pattern.
- 6. Apparatus for generating an electromagnetic energy pulse of preselected shape and duration comprising a first electromagnetic energy source responsive to a trigger pulse to provide a beam of electromagnetic energy, means including at least one Kerr-effect light gate disposed at the output of said first source and responsive to a control pulse to pass a selected portion of said beam, a second energy source providing a pulse of electromagnetic energy, and means disposed at the output of said second source and responsive to said pulse to provide said trigger pulse and said control pulse, said last-named means including means splitting said pulse into a plurality of separate pulses, means individually attenuating and delaying said plurality of split pulses, and means recombining said attenuated and delayed pulses into a composite pulse having a shape and duration corresponding to said preselected shape and duration.
Specification