A DIFFERENTIAL METHOD FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF ATTENUATION OF PULSED LASER BEAMS.

Abstract

A differential transformer system has been developed to measure the attenuation of short-duration, high-energy laser pulses in a contaminated atmosphere. Photodiodes at each terminus of the laser path produce electrical pulses which are proportional to the laser beam energy. These pulses are applied to opposite sides of the transformer primary and cause a difference signal to appear across the secondary winding. The difference signals can be resolved for input signals of magnitudes as high as several hundred volts and of durations as short as twenty nanoseconds. With an input reference signal of fifty volts, the measurement of the difference signal is accurate to within 0.3 db in attenuation. Precision is limited by oscilloscope resolution. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1968
Accession Number
AD0669587

Entities

People

  • Jeffery Steln
  • Mitchell Tress

Organizations

  • Ballistic Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Attenuation
  • Energy
  • High Energy
  • High Energy Lasers
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Pulses
  • Lasers
  • Measurement
  • Pulsed Lasers
  • Transformers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Radar Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy