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Autoalignment system for high power laser

  • US 4,146,329 A
  • Filed: 09/14/1977
  • Issued: 03/27/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1977
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a high power laser apparatus including an unstable resonator cavity having a scraper-type mirror, with a central hole therein, for generating an annular high power laser beam, an autoalignment system comprising:

  • a source of radiation positioned to couple a reference beam through the central hole in said scraper mirror such that said reference beam is co-axial and aligned with said high power beam;

    an extraction mirror having a passageway extending therethrough intersecting the reflective surface of said extraction mirror, said passageway having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of an obscured central portion of said high power laser beam;

    a turning mirror positioned with respect to said scraper mirror and said extraction mirror to reflect said co-axial beams on a path incident to said extraction mirror and aligned with the axis of said passageway, such that said high power beam is reflected from the reflective surface of said extraction mirror and said reference beam is propagated through said passageway;

    detecting means, aligned with the optical path through said passageway, for generating an alignment error signal corresponding to the degree of deflection of said reference beam from an established reference point;

    tilting means coupled to said turning mirror for implementing tilt adjustments thereto;

    control means, coupled between said tilting means and said detecting means, responsive to said alignment error signals for applying correlated tilt signals to said tilting means such that corresponding tilt adjustments are made to the orientation of said turning mirror to maintain the alignment of said high power beam.

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