The invention claimed is:
1. A high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification, comprising:
a first nonlinear crystal;
a second nonlinear crystal operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal;
a first beam relay telescope operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal and said second nonlinear crystal;
a second beam relay telescope operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal, said second nonlinear crystal, and said first beam relay telescope;
a first harmonic beamsplitter operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal, said second nonlinear crystal, said first beam relay telescope, and said second beam relay telescope; and
a second harmonic beamsplitter operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal, said second nonlinear crystal, said first beam relay telescope, said second beam relay telescope, and said second harmonic beamsplitter.
2. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 1, wherein said first nonlinear crystal and said second nonlinear crystal are independently angle tuned to achieve an angular phase-matching condition.
3. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 1, wherein said first nonlinear crystal and said second nonlinear crystal are cut for second harmonic generation of 1064 nm (22.8, (0).
4. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 1, wherein said first nonlinear crystal and said second nonlinear crystal have output faces with a 2 wedge on said output faces.
5. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 1, wherein said first nonlinear crystal and said second nonlinear crystal are arranged to achieve walk-off compensation.
6. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 5, wherein said first nonlinear crystal has an input face and said first nonlinear crystal and said second nonlinear crystal are misaligned in the direction of the walk-off on the input face of said first nonlinear crystal.
7. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 1, wherein the size of said first nonlinear crystal and said second nonlinear crystal is 4415 mm3.
8. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 1, wherein said first harmonic beamsplitter and said second harmonic beamsplitter are highly reflective for 1054 nm at s-polarization, and highly transmissive for 532 nm wavelength, at p-polarization.
9. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 1, including a seed beam imaged from a seed source operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal, said second nonlinear crystal.
10. A high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification, comprising:
first nonlinear crystal means for amplification of a signal pulse by transfer of energy from a pump pulse though difference-frequency generation;
second nonlinear crystal means for additional amplification of said signal pulse by transfer of energy from said pump pulse though difference-frequency generation, operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal;
first beam relay telescope means for relay imaging the pump transverse intensity profile, adjusting the pump beam diameter, and collimating the pump beam, operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal means and said second nonlinear crystal means;
second beam relay telescope means for relay imaging the seed transverse intensity profile, adjusting the seed beam diameter, and collimating the seed beam, operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal means, said second nonlinear crystal means, and said first beam relay telescope means;
first harmonic beamsplitter means for nearly collinear coupling of the seed beam with the pump beam into the first nonlinear crystal, operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal means, said second nonlinear crystal means, said first beam relay telescope means, and said second beam relay telescope means; and
second harmonic beamsplitter means for separating the amplified signal and idler beams from the residual pump after amplification in the second nonlinear crystal; operatively connected to said first nonlinear crystal means, said second nonlinear crystal means, said first beam relay telescope means, said second beam relay telescope means, and said second harmonic beamsplitter means.
11. A high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification, comprising:
a first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal;
a second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal operatively connected to said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal;
a first beam relay telescope operatively connected to said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal and said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal;
a second beam relay telescope operatively connected to said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal, said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal, and said first beam relay telescope;
a first harmonic beamsplitter operatively connected to said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal, said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal, said first beam relay telescope, and said second beam relay telescope; and
a second harmonic beamsplitter operatively connected to said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal, said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal, said first beam relay telescope, said second beam relay telescope, and said second harmonic beamsplitter.
12. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 11, wherein said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal and said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal are independently angle tuned to achieve an angular phase-matching condition.
13. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 11, wherein said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal and said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal are cut for second harmonic generation of 1064 nm (22.8, (0).
14. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 11, wherein said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal and said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal have output faces with a 2 wedge on said output faces.
15. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 11, wherein said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal and said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal are arranged to achieve walk-off compensation.
16. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 15, wherein said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal has an input face and said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal and said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal are misaligned in the direction of the walk-off on the input face of said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal.
17. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 11, wherein the size of said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal and said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal is 4415 mm3.
18. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 11, wherein said first harmonic beamsplitter and said second harmonic beamsplitter are highly reflective for 1054 nm at s-polarization, and highly transmissive for 532 nm wavelength, at p-polarization.
19. The high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification of claim 11, including a seed beam imaged from a seed source operatively connected to said first beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal, said second beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal.
20. A method of high-gain preamplifier based on optical parametric amplification, comprising the steps of:
using a first nonlinear crystal to provide amplification of a signal pulse by transfer of energy from a pump pulse though difference-frequency generation;
using a second nonlinear crystal to provide additional amplification of the signal pulse by transfer of energy from the pump pulse though difference-frequency generation;
using a first beam relay telescope to relay the pump transverse intensity profile, adjust the pump beam diameter, and collimate the pump beam;
using a second beam relay telescope to relay the seed transverse intensity profile, adjust the seed beam diameter, and collimate the seed beam;
using a first harmonic beamsplitter for collinear coupling of the seed beam with the pump beam into the first nonlinear crystal; and
using a second harmonic beamsplitter for separating the amplified signal and idler beams from the residual pump after amplification in the second nonlinear crystal.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A synchronizer for frictionally synchronizing and positive connecting first and second drives disposed for relative rotation about a common axis; the clutch comprising:
first jaw means axially movable from a neutral position into an engaged position with second jaw means for positive connecting the drives in response to engaging movement of first jaw means by an axially directed first shift force;
a first friction member axially movable into frictional engagement with a second friction member in response to the engaging movement of the first jaw means for producing a first synchronizing torque;
first and second blocker means for preventing asynchronous engagement of the jaw means and for transmitting the shift force to the first and second friction members; characterized by:
first limit means producing a first counter force for decreasing the amount of the first shift force transmitted to the first and second friction members in response to the synchronizing torque exceeding a first predetermined amount.
2. The synchronizer of claim 1, further including a third drive disposed for rotation about the common axis and for rotation relative to the first and second drives and axially spaced from the second drive;
third jaw means axially movable from a neutral position into an engaged position with fourth jaw means for positive connecting the drives in response to engaging movement of first jaw means by an axially directed second shift force;
a third friction member axially movable into frictional engagement with a fourth friction member in response to the engaging movement of the third jaw means for producing a second synchronizing torque;
third and fourth blocker means for preventing asynchronous engagement of the third and fourth jaw means and for transmitting the second shift force to the third and fourth friction members;
second limit means producing a second counter force for decreasing the amount of the second shift force transmitted to the third and fourth friction members in response to the second synchronizing torque exceeding a second predetermined amount.
3. The synchronizer of claim 17 wherein:
the first limit means include resilient means for preventing the first counter force until the first synchronizing torque exceeds the predetermined amount.
4. The synchronizer of claim 3, wherein:
the first limit means include first and second surfaces operative when engaged to produce the first counter force.
5. The synchronizer of claim 4, wherein:
the first and second surfaces respectively react between the first friction member and the first drive; and
the resilient means prevent engagement of the first and second surfaces until the first synchronizing torque in one direction exceeds the first predetermined amount.
6. The synchronizer of claim 5, wherein:
a hub is affixed against rotational and axial movement relative to the first drive and includes an outer circumference having a plurality of external splines;
the first jaw means includes internal splines slidably mating with the external splines;
a first baulkring includes the first friction member and the second blocker means;
the hub further including a recess having first and second circumferentially spaced apart ends with at least one of the ends defining the second surface; and
the first baulkring includes the first surface affixed thereto.
7. The synchronizer of claim 6, wherein:
the first limit means includes third and fourth surfaces respectively defined by the first baulkring and the second end of the recess and second resilient means for preventing engagement of the third and fourth surfaces until the first synchronizing torque in a direction opposite the one direction exceeds the first predetermined amount.
8. The synchronizer of claim 7, wherein:
the internal splines have axially facing ends defining the first blockers.
9. The synchronizer of claim 2, wherein:
the second limit means include resilient means for preventing the second counter force until the second synchronizing torque in one direction exceeds the second predetermined amount.
10. The synchronizer of claim 9, wherein:
the second limit means includes fifth and sixth surfaces operative when engaged to produce the second counter force.
11. The synchronizer of claim 10, wherein:
the fifth and sixth surfaces respectively react between the third friction member and the first drive; and
the resilient means prevent engagement of the fifth and sixth surfaces until the second synchronizing torque exceeds the second predetermined amount.
12. The synchronizer of claim 11, wherein:
the third jaw means includes internal splines slidably mating with the external splines;
a second baulkring includes the third friction member and the fourth blockers;
the hub recess first end defines the sixth surface; and
the second baulkring includes the fifth surface affixed thereto.
13. The synchronizer of claim 12, wherein:
the second limit means includes seventh and eight surfaces respectively defined by the second baulkring and the second end of the recess and second resilient means for preventing engagement of the seventh and eight surfaces until the first synchronizing torque in a direction opposite the one exceeds the first predetermined amount.
14. The synchronizer of claim 13, wherein:
the third jaw means internal splines have axially facing ends defining the third blockers.
15. The synchronizer of claim 2, wherein:
the first limit means include resilient means for preventing the first counter force until the first synchronizing torque exceeds the predetermined amount; and
the second limit means include resilient means for preventing the second counter force until the second synchronizing torque in one direction exceeds the second predetermined amount.
16. The synchronizer of claim 15, wherein:
the first limit means include first and second surfaces operative when engaged to produce the first counter force; and
the second limit means includes fifth and sixth surfaces operative when engaged to produce the second counter force.
17. The synchronizer of claim 16, wherein:
the first and second surfaces respectively react between the first friction member and the first drive;
the resilient means prevent engagement of the first and second surfaces until the first synchronizing torque in one direction exceeds the first predetermined amount;
the fifth and sixth surfaces respectively react between the third friction member and the first drive; and
the resilient means prevent engagement of the fifth and sixth surfaces until the second synchronizing torque exceeds the second predetermined amount.
18. The synchronizer of claim 17, wherein:
a hub is affixed against rotational and axial movement relative to the first drive and includes an outer circumference having a plurality of external splines;
the first jaw means includes internal splines slidably mating with the external splines;
a first baulkring includes the first friction member and the second blocker means;
the hub further including a recess having first and second circumferentially spaced apart ends with at least one of the ends defining the second surface;
the first baulkring includes the first surface affixed thereto;
the third jaw means includes internal splines slidably mating with the external splines;
a second baulkring includes the third friction member and the fourth blockers;
the hub recess first end defines the sixth surface; and
the second baulkring includes the fifth surface affixed thereto.
19. The synchronizer of claim 186, wherein:
the first limit means includes third and fourth surfaces respectively defined by the first baulkring and the second end of the recess and second resilient means for preventing engagement of the third and fourth surfaces until the first synchronizing torque in a direction opposite the one direction exceeds the first predetermined amount; and
the second limit means includes seventh and eight surfaces respectively defined by the second baulkring and the second end of the recess and second resilient means for preventing engagement of the seventh and eight surfaces until the first synchronizing torque in a direction opposite the one exceeds the first predetermined amount.
20. The synchronizer of claim 19, wherein:
the internal splines have axially oppositely facing ends defining the first and second blockers.