Wireless laser system for power transmission utilizing a gain medium between retroreflectors
First Claim
1. A free-space lasing system for generating a laser beam, said system comprising:
- a power transmitting unit comprising a first retroreflector, and having an angular field of view;
at least one power receiver unit comprising a second retroreflector, and remotely located relative to said power transmitting unit;
a gain medium disposed between said first and second retroreflectors, in proximity to said first retroreflector of said power transmitting unit; and
an element for extracting energy from said beam,wherein said gain medium has a thickness between the surfaces between which said beam traverses is smaller than its lateral dimensions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical power beam transmission systems, with a directional light transmitter and receiver. The transmitter contains an amplifying laser medium, and this together with a retroreflector in the receiver, forms a laser resonator. When lasing sets in, the receiver can extract optical power through an output coupler and convert it to electrical power. The gain medium may be a disc having a thickness substantially smaller than its lateral dimensions. The laser resonator is operated as a stable resonator to ensure safe operation. This is achieved by use of an adaptive optical element, for reducing the diameter of the energy beam impinging on the gain medium, thereby increasing the overlap between the energy beam and the gain medium. As the transmitter-receiver distance is changed, such as by movement of the receiver, the adaptive optical element focal length changes to ensure that the cavity remains within its stability zone.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A free-space lasing system for generating a laser beam, said system comprising:
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a power transmitting unit comprising a first retroreflector, and having an angular field of view; at least one power receiver unit comprising a second retroreflector, and remotely located relative to said power transmitting unit; a gain medium disposed between said first and second retroreflectors, in proximity to said first retroreflector of said power transmitting unit; and an element for extracting energy from said beam, wherein said gain medium has a thickness between the surfaces between which said beam traverses is smaller than its lateral dimensions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification