Method and Technique to Control Laser Effects Through Tuning of Parameters Such as Repetition Rate

Abstract

A technique for controlling the effects generated by the interaction of a plurality of laser pulses with a medium by selecting or varying the successive pulse parameters comprising: generating a plurality of laser pulses interacting with a medium; and selecting or varying the properties/parameters characterizing said laser pulses to control the effects resulting from the interaction among said plurality of laser pulses and said medium.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling the effects generated by the interaction of a plurality of laser pulses with a medium by selecting or varying the successive pulse parameters comprising:
 generating a plurality of laser pulses interacting with a medium; and selecting or varying the properties/parameters characterizing said laser pulses to control the effects resulting from the interaction among said plurality of laser pulses and said medium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effect being controlled is the spectral content of the electromagnetic emissions generated by said plurality of laser pulses interacting with said medium. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic emissions include THz radiation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said medium is air. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said medium is condensed matter. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic emissions include Xray radiation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said medium is a gas. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said medium is condensed matter. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic emissions are in the wavelength range 200 nm-15,000 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said effect is that of significantly broadening the spectrum of electromagnetic emissions, beyond those resulting from the interaction between the medium and a single laser pulse. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the timing of the laser pulses is adjusted, including but not limited to regular spacing in time to include repetition rates within the range of 100 Hz-10 kHz. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the energy of the successive pulses is selected or adjusted within the range of 0.1 mJ-100 mJ. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said broadened electromagnetic emission spectrum is directed toward a sensor and/or imaging array in order to saturate it over a range of wavelengths to obscure signatures of interest or temporarily or permanently disable said sensor and/or imaging array. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of pulses are generated by one or more lasers with differing central wavelengths, such that the sum/span of their broadened spectra covers a functional detection range of the target sensor and/or imaging array. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pulses includes in addition to successive pulses, simultaneously occurring pulses, which are characterized by distinct parameters from one another. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the length (spatially and temporally) of the ionized region comprising a filament is increased by adjusting the parameters characterizing the plurality of laser pulses. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the parameters which are varied and which characterize the pulses, include the timing between pulses, to include regular pulse spacing and selection of repetition rates in the range of 100 Hz-10 kHz and pulse energies in the range of 0.1-100 mJ. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein polarization of the pulses is also controlled, with the pulses of different polarization following one another in succession over a range of 1 fs-10 ps. 
     
     
         19 . A method for controlling the effects generated by the interaction of a plurality of laser pulses with a medium by selecting or varying the successive pulse parameters comprising:
 generating a plurality of laser pulses interacting with a medium; and selecting or varying the properties/parameters characterizing said laser pulses to control the effects resulting from the interaction among said plurality of laser pulses and said medium, in which the pulse duration of the pulses is controlled through phase matching of the successive pulses in order to obtain the shortest “few-cycle” pulses available, and hence the broadest spectrum of the component wavelengths.   
     
     
         20 . A method for controlling the effects generated by the interaction of a plurality of laser pulses with a medium by selecting or varying the successive pulse parameters comprising: generating a plurality of laser pulses interacting with a medium; and selecting or varying the properties/parameters characterizing said laser pulses to control the effects resulting from the interaction among said plurality of laser pulses and said medium, wherein the pulse parameters are tuned, including tuning of wavelength and frequency, with super-position of differing pulse trains, in order to optimize material interactions, including surface treatments and ablation.