Mode discrimination apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In combination:
- an optical system comprising means for producing a plurality of electromagnetic waves;
dielectric material means within an optical path of said optical system for altering the phase and amplitude characteristics of said electromagnetic waves; and
said dielectric material means comprising a dielectric material having one or more areas of said material treated with an electron beam for producing said phase and amplitude alterations to said waves.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an optical system such as a ring laser gyroscope cavity, oscillations occur in many transverse modes. The desired modes are allowed to exist by suppressing undesired modes utilizing a light stop apparatus. One light stop is made by treating a dielectric mirror with an electron beam causing a phase change to occur to the undesired reflected waves. An alternative light stop is made by depositing an absorptive material on a dielectric mirror for absorbing some of the energy of the undesired modes. Both light stop embodiments are adjustable with respect to a laser wave in a resonant cavity.
26 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. In combination:
-
an optical system comprising means for producing a plurality of electromagnetic waves; dielectric material means within an optical path of said optical system for altering the phase and amplitude characteristics of said electromagnetic waves; and said dielectric material means comprising a dielectric material having one or more areas of said material treated with an electron beam for producing said phase and amplitude alterations to said waves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. In combination:
-
means for producing a plurality of counter-traveling electromagnetic waves within a closed path with a gain medium; means for producing a direction-dependent phase shift to said waves resulting in a frequency splitting between said counter-traveling waves; and means for suppressing undesired resonant modes within said closed path, said suppressing means comprising a phase sensitive light stop having a dielectric mirror partially treated with an electron beam. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. In combination:
-
a laser gyroscrope having a closed path with a gain medium for the propagation of a plurality of electromagnetic waves in opposite directions, each of said waves being of a different frequency; means for producing circularly polarized counter-traveling waves in said closed path arranged in pairs of first and second polarization sense; means for producing a direction-dependent phase shift to said waves resulting in a frequency splitting between counter-traveling waves in each of said pairs; and means for suppressing undesired resonant modes within said closed path, said suppressing means comprising a phase sensitive light stop having a dielectric mirror partially treated with an electron beam. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 23)
-
-
18. In combination:
-
a laser gyroscope having a closed path with a gain medium for the propagation of a plurality of electromagnetic waves in opposite directions, each of said waves being of a different frequency; means for producing circularly polarized counter-traveling waves in said closed path arranged in pairs of first and second polarization sense; means for producing a direction-dependent phase shift to said waves resulting in a frequecy splitting between counter-traveling waves in each of said pairs; reflective means for directing said electromagnetic waves around said closed path; and at least one of said reflective means comprising adjustable, mode discriminating means for suppressing undesired resonant modes within said closed path, said suppressing means comprising a phase sensitive light stop having a dielectric mirror partially treated with an electron beam. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
24. The method of suppressing undesired resonant modes within a laser gyroscope system comprising the steps of:
-
propagating a plurality of counter-traveling electromagnetic waves within a closed path each of said waves being of a different frequency; amplifying said waves in a gain medium which is common to at least a portion of said path of each of said waves; and partially treating a portion of at least one of a plurality of reflectors within said closed path with an electron beam for suppressing undesired resonant modes. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
-
-
27. In combination:
-
an electromagnetic wave ring resonator for supporting an electromagnetic wave having a fundamental resonant mode disposed along an axis of said resonator and higher order resonant modes displaced from said axis; means disposed in said resonator having one or more areas treated with an electron beam for producing phase and amplitude alterations to said higher order resonant modes.
-
Specification