Colliding jets laser guiding structure

摘要

A plurality of gas jet nozzles having equal angular separation around a central axis eject gas flows towards the central axis. The gas flows collide and form a gas channel from the neutral gas, the gas channel having a gas density depression at the center of the intersecting gas flow, where the gas density depression is surrounded by a higher density gaseous wall along the central axis. Ionization of the gas in the center produces a plasma channel that can guide a laser pulse fired into the gas along the central axis. The geometric arrangement of the gas jets and/or the backing pressure of the gas flows are configured to produce a gas channel having a predetermined density profile such that the ionized gas forms a plasma channel laser guiding structure configured to guide a laser pulse having predetermined spatial parameters.

主权项

1. A method for forming a laser guiding structure, comprising:
activating a plurality of gas flows from a corresponding plurality of gas nozzles arranged at equal angular intervals around a central axis, the gas nozzles being configured to produce a plurality of gas flows that intersect with one another along the central axis to controllably form a gas channel from the neutral gas, the gas channel having gas density depression at a center of the gas channel; and at time t1, firing an ionizing pulse through the gas channel at the gas density depression to ionize the gas channel; wherein at least one of a geometric configuration of the gas nozzles and a backing pressure of the gas flows is configured to cause the gas channel to have a predetermined gas density profile such that the ionized gas channel forms a plasma channel having a predetermined spatial profile, the plasma channel forming a laser guiding structure configured to guide a laser pulse having predetermined spatial parameters fired into the gas along the central axis at time t2.