Transmissive dynamic plasma steering apparatus for radiant electromagnetic energy

• US 7,626,134 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Klein, Timothy R., Rogers, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall; Mark H
• Application Number:
  US11/518,741
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.36, 219/121.52, 219/121.48, 219/121.59, 219/494, 219/497, 219/501, 219/506, 219/121, 219/52, 219/121.43, 343/853, 343/700.MS, 343/778
• US Class Current: 219/121.36
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/0081 by electric means

Abstract

An ionized plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy steering or diverting apparatus wherein controlled differences in plasma density and resulting plasma electron density achieve phase shift, reflection or refraction of the controlled radiant electromagnetic energy. Plasma density determination through use of selected plasma control electrode electrical potentials and hence by the waveforms applied to plasma-adjacent electrodes is employed. Plasma controlled radiant electromagnetic energy is thereby usable for inertia free steering of a radar beam or for other applications of radiant electromagnetic energy. Radiant electromagnetic energy control by way of pass-through refraction of the energy and reflection of the energy directly from the plasma and also by reflection involving a reflector element are included. Radio frequency and optical electromagnetic energy wavelengths for the radiant electromagnetic energy are included.

Claims

1. Plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus comprising the combination of:

an input radiant energy steering-containerized transiently ionizable gas film dispersed over a surface within said plasma based energy directing apparatus;

a source of said input radiant electromagnetic energy directed toward an exposed surface of said plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus containerized-transiently ionizable gas film;

an array of ionized plasma electron density controlling modulation electrode pairs disposed adjacent said surface and said containerized transiently ionizable gas film-within said plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus;

a source of dynamically changing modulation voltage connected with each said electrode pair in said array of plasma electron density controlling electrodes and generating a plurality of coordinated radiant electromagnetic energy steering, transient gas ionization achieving, electrode control signals;

said dynamically changing modulation voltage imparting a phase modulation directivity on steered incident electromagnetic energy in a dynamic response of said incident electromagnetic energy to transient ionization controlled plasma density and electron density in a containerized ionized gas plasma film.

2. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radiant electromagnetic energy is radio frequency energy and said array of ionized plasma electron density controlling modulation electrode pairs are disposed at radio frequency wavelength separation distances.

3. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrodes in said array of ionized plasma electron density controlling modulation electrode pairs are comprised of material that is transparent with respect to said input radiant electromagnetic energy.

4. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plasma electron density controlling modulation electrode pairs include one energy transparent electrode disposed adjacent an energy reception surface of said ionizable-gas film.

5. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 2 wherein said radiant energy-refracting ionized gas plasma film is comprised of a plurality of segregated gas plasma film agglomerations each surrounded by a radio frequency energy transparent enclosure member.

6. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus further includes a discrete reflector element reflecting said input radiant electromagnetic energy subsequent to a first energy refraction in said plasma film and prior to a second energy refraction in said plasma film.

7. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radiant electromagnetic energy is optical wavelength energy and said array of ionized plasma electron density controlling modulation electrode pairs are disposed at optical wavelength separation distances.

8. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plasma based energy directing apparatus ionized gas plasma film includes a plurality of plasma concentration perturbations of optical energy wavelength physical dimensions and dispersion at optical energy wavelength distances over said surface within said plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus.

9. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said surface within said plasma based energy directing apparatus is part of a transparent substrate member and wherein said input radiant electromagnetic energy is communicated through said containerized ionized gas plasma film and said transparent substrate member in a single pass input radiant electromagnetic energy refraction event.

10. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 9 wherein said apparatus further includes an input radiant electromagnetic energy collection member located on an opposed surface side of said transparent substrate member and ionized gas plasma film.

11. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 9 wherein said input radiant electromagnetic energy has a characteristics frequency greater than a characteristic frequency of said ionized gas in said plasma film.

12. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radiant energy steering-controlling containerized ionized gas plasma film dispersed over a surface within said plasma based energy directing apparatus is contained within elements of a planar array of miniature spherical enclosures.

13. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radiant energy steering-controlling containerized ionized gas plasma film dispersed over a surface within said plasma based energy directing apparatus is disposed in contact with elements of an enclosed planar array of substrate-received trenches.

14. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of coordinated radiant electromagnetic energy direction altering electrode control signals include successively larger signal amplitudes connected with each successive electrode pair along one dimension of a planar array of ionized gas containers in said electromagnetic energy beam directing apparatus.

15. Plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus comprising the combination of:

a planar disposed array of pixel sized electrode pairs located on a radiant electromagnetic energy transparent substrate member;

a plurality of electrical potential generating sources each connecting with an electrode pair in said array of electrode pairs;

a planar disposed film of individual pixel sized plasma gas molecular agglomerations dispersed over said planar array of electrode pairs, said plasma gas in each said molecular agglomeration including transient ionization response characteristic to electrical potential difference across an adjacent of said electrode pairs;

an input radiant energy source directing electromagnetic energy toward said planar disposed film of plasma gas molecular agglomerations from an adjacent first selected location; and

radiant electromagnetic energy output receiving apparatus disposed in a said beam steering apparatus-adjacent second selected location for collecting ionized plasma gas molecular agglomeration-directionally altered portions of said input radiant energy source electromagnetic energy.

16. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus of claim 15 wherein said input radiant energy source directing electromagnetic energy toward said planar disposed plasma gas concentrations and said radiant energy output receiving apparatus for collecting plasma gas concentrations directionally altered portions of said input radiant energy source electromagnetic energy are disposed on opposite first selected location and second selected location planar surface sides of said transparent substrate and said individual pixel sized plasma gas concentrations in a radiant energy pass through configuration of said plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus.

17. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus of claim 15 wherein said planar disposed array of pixel sized electrode pairs and said planar disposed film of individual pixel sized plasma gas molecular agglomerations include registered size and separation dimensions of radio frequency wavelength compatibility.

18. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus of claim 17 wherein said pixel sized plasma gas molecular agglomerations each include a sealed gas enclosure member.

19. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus of claim 15 wherein said plurality of plasma gas molecular agglomerations dispersed over said planar array of electrode pairs comprise a plurality of enclosure received trench-like perturbations in an electromagnetic energy transparent substrate and said trench-like perturbations include infrared wavelength dimensions.

20. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus of claim 19 wherein said electromagnetic energy transparent substrate member is characterized by a bending flexibility physical nature.

21. The plasma based radiant electromagnetic energy beam steering apparatus of claim 15 wherein said plasma gas molecular agglomerations ionization response includes a varying electron density profile in at least one physical dimension of said planar arrays.

22. Plasma based dynamic radiant electromagnetic energy transmission steering plasma controller apparatus comprising the combination of:

an array of dynamically ionizable plasma modules disposed over a surface of said plasma controller apparatus;

an array of plasma controller apparatus electrode pairs, each pair located in said plasma controller apparatus in registration with a portion of said dynamically ionizable plasma modules;

a plurality of electrical signal generating circuits each connected with one plasma controller electrode pair of said array of discrete plasma clusters;

each said electrical signal generating circuit controlling dynamically ionized plasma density related radiant electromagnetic energy transmission steering properties in a registered, connected, plasma module;

electromagnetic energy dispensing apparatus located proximate said plasma controller apparatus and issuing radiant electromagnetic energy thereto; and

electromagnetic energy collecting apparatus located proximate said plasma controller apparatus in transmitted electromagnetic energy opposition to said electromagnetic energy dispersing apparatus and receiving transmitted dynamically ionized plasma steered radiant electromagnetic energy from said plasma controller apparatus.

23. Energized plasma based dynamic radiant electromagnetic energy steering plasma controller apparatus comprising the combination of:

an array of discrete confined gas plasma agglomerations disposed over a surface of said plasma controller apparatus;

an array of plasma controller apparatus electrode pairs, each pair located in said plasma controller apparatus in registration with a single agglomeration group in said array of discrete confined gas plasma agglomerations;

a plurality of electrical signal generating circuits each connected with one plasma controller electrode pair of said array of discrete confined gas plasma agglomerations;

each said electrical signal generating circuit controlling plasma density related radiant electromagnetic energy transmission steering properties in a confined gas plasma agglomeration;

electromagnetic energy dispensing apparatus located proximate said plasma controller apparatus and currently issuing radiant electromagnetic energy thereto; and

electromagnetic energy collecting apparatus located proximate said plasma controller apparatus in transmitted electromagnetic energy opposition to said electromagnetic energy dispersing apparatus and currently receiving transmitted radiant electromagnetic energy from said plasma controller apparatus.

24. The energized plasma based dynamic radiant electromagnetic energy steering plasma controller apparatus of claim 23 wherein each said discrete confined gas plasma agglomeration comprises a collection of gas molecules currently ionized transiently by one of said plasma controller apparatus electrode pairs.