Coherent light generators – Particular active media – Gas
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-10
2002-12-31
Ip, Paul (Department: 2828)
Coherent light generators
Particular active media
Gas
C372S089000, C372S090000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06501780
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to chemical oxygen iodine lasers (commonly known as “COIL”) and more particularly to a method, system and apparatus for an electrically assisted COIL.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Since the initial development of the Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser (COIL), COIL technology has undergone numerous improvements. However, much of the COIL technology development to date has focused on the singlet-oxygen generator, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,099,805; 6,072,820 and 5,802,095. In a classic COIL system, a singlet-oxygen generator is used to create singlet delta oxygen (O
2
(
1
&Dgr;)) from gaseous chlorine (Cl
2
) and liquid basic hydrogen peroxide (BHP), which is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) and a strong base, such as potassium hydroxide (KOH). This aqueous solution reacts chemically to form O
2
(
1
&Dgr;), as well as byproducts such as salt (KCl), and liquid BHP carryover. The O
2
(
1
&Dgr;) enters a channel where diatomic iodine molecules (I
2
) are mixed into the O
2
(
1
&Dgr;) flow. The O
2
(
1
&Dgr;) and I
2
enter a supersonic mixing nozzle and quickly mix to dissociated the I
2
into excited iodine atoms (I*). The I* specie is used to extract energy from the mixed gases, which is used by laser cavity mirrors to produce a laser beam. The mixture left over from the lasing will thereafter move farther downstream and enter into a scrubber and thereafter exit to the atmosphere.
Several issues arise from this classic COIL system. First, it is desired to avoid carryover of liquid BHP into the flow downstream of the generator, because BHP scatters laser light and produces water vapor. The water vapor also decreases the chemical efficiency because of deactivation reactions with the O
2
(
1
&Dgr;). Second, the weight and volume of the liquids and gases needed to produce O
2
(
1
&Dgr;) tend to be extremely large to sustain a beam or provide multiple beams. There are also problems associated with carrying toxic gases, such as Cl
2
which is needed in the classic COIL system for the creation of O
2
(
1
&Dgr;). In addition thereto, a significant fraction of the O
2
(
1
&Dgr;) is used simply to dissociate
12
into iodine atoms, therefore a significant amount of energy is being used for dissociation rather than for the laser beam. Also, as mentioned above, byproducts from the generator include salt (KCl), which can cause additional problems as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,286 which is directed to a system generating molecular oxygen in the excited singlet-delta state without significant salt formations. A need therefore exists to provide a chemical oxygen iodine laser that addresses and satisfies these issues.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention a method, system and apparatus provide for an electrically assisted chemical oxygen iodine laser. In the preferred system, the electrically assisted COIL includes a first electrical generator, which receives a first gas consisting of at least O
2.
The first electrical generator electrically excites the O
2
to produce a primary flow of at least O
2
(
1
&Dgr;). The primary flow enters a flow channel where it mixes with a secondary flow of already (completely or partially) dissociated I
2
molecules (I). The I
2
is dissociated previously in a second electrical generator. The secondary flow of dissociated I
2
molecules are injected into the primary flow, where they enter a supersonic mixing nozzle to generate excited iodine atoms labeled by I(
5
P
1/2
) and which will be referred to as I*. Energy is then extracted from the I* specie by stimulated emission by the radiation fed back by laser cavity mirrors, which is used to produce a 1.315 &mgr;m laser beam. The byproduct gases are exhausted through a scrubber or alternatively exhausted and recycled, if the system is a closed or partially closed loop cycle.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6377600 (2002-04-01), Flegal
patent: 2001/0033597 (2001-10-01), Neumann
Endo, M., Sugimoto, D., Okamoto, H., Takaeda, S. and Fukioka, T. (2000). “Performance characteristics of the microwave assisted chemical Iodine oxygen laser”, AHPLA '99, Osaka, Nov. 1999, SPIE vol. 3889, pp. 494-502.
Fuji, H. (1994). “COIL Development in Japan,” AIAA Paper 94-2419.
Fuji, H., Itami, S., Kihara, Y., Fulisaki, K., Okamura, M., Yoshitani, E., Yano, K., Miyatake, T.,Schmiedberger, J. (2000). “Hybrid Oxygen iodine laser with a discharge singlet oxygen generaor,”,Laser Ablation Conference, Santa Fe, 2000.
Itami, S., Nakamura, Y., Nakamura, A., Shinagawa, Kihara, Y., K., Okamura M., Yoshitani, E., and Fujii, H. (2000). “The Development of hybrid oxygen-iodine laser,” AHPLA '99 Osaka, Nov. 1999, SPIE vol. 3889. pp. 503-510.
Ivanov, V.V., Klopovsky, K.S. Lopaev, D.V., Rakhimov, A.T., and Rakhimova, T.T. (1999). “Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Oxygen Glow Discharge Structure at Low Pressures”. IEEE Trans. on Plasma Science. 27. p. 1279.
Okamoto, H., Hirata, T., Shinoda, K., Takeda, S., Sugimoto, D., and Endo, M. (2000). “Supersonic Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser with Microwave Predissociation of Iodine,” AIAA Paper 2000-2492, Denvcer, CO 19-22, Jun. 2000.
Pazyuk, V.S., Vagin, N.P., Yuryshev, N.N. (1996). “Repetitively Pulsed Chemical Oxgen-Iodine Laser with a Discharge Generation,” SPIE vol. 2767, pp. 206-208.
Schmiedberger, J., and Fujii H. (1995). “RF hollow electrode discharge generator of singlet delta oxygen,” SPIE vol. 2502, pp. 338-343.
Schmiedberger, J. Takahashi, S., and Fuji H. (1996). “Improved RF plasma jet generation of singlet delta oxygen,” SPIE vol. 3092, pp. 694-697.
Endo, M., Sugimoto, D., Okamoto, H., Nanri, K., Uchiyama, T., Takeda, S., and Fujioka, T. (2000). “Output Power Enchancement of a Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser by Predissociated Iodine Injection”, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., vol. 39, Part 1, No. 2A, Feb. 2000, pp. 468-474.
Vagin, N.P., Deryugin, A.A., Ionin, A.A., Klimachev, Yu.M., Kochetov, I.V., Naparatovich, A.P.,Sinitsin, D.V., and Yuryshev, N.N. (2000).Breakdown of Highly Excited Oxygen in a DC Electric Field, Plasma Physics Reports, vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 278-282 (Translated from Fizika Plazmy, vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 299-304).
Schmiedberger, J., Hirahara, S., Ichinoche, Y., Suzuki, M., Masuda, W., Kihara, Y., Yoshitania, E., and Fuji, H. (2000) “RF Plasma jet generator of singlet delta oxygen for oxygen-iodine laser,” SPIE vol. 4184, pp. 32-35.
Sugimoto, D., Okamoto, H., Wani, F., Endo, M., Takeda, S., and Fujioka, T. (1999). Output Power Enhancement by Predissociation of Iodine in Supersonic Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser, AAIA Paper 99-3426.
Wakazono, T., Hashimoto, K., Takemoto, T., Uchiyama, T., and Muro M (1998). “The Study of Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Lser Using RF Discharge dissociate of IZ”. SPIE vol. 3574, pp. 290-294.
Carroll David L.
Solomon Wayne S.
Verdeyen Joseph T.
CU Aerospace
Hamman & Benn
Ip Paul
Rodriguez Armando
Sacharoff Adam K.
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