초록 ▼

A method for laser shock peening a target surface generates laser pulses from a cavity dumping oscillator having an optically-pumped laser and directs the pulses against the target. A first technique uses pulses having rectangular cross section. A second technique passes each generated pulse two or

A method for laser shock peening a target surface generates laser pulses from a cavity dumping oscillator having an optically-pumped laser and directs the pulses against the target. A first technique uses pulses having rectangular cross section. A second technique passes each generated pulse two or more times through the same optical amplifier before directing the pulse against the target. A third technique drives the laser with a time pulse of electric current having a rectangular shape. A reflective laser beam homogenizer uses two abutting mirrors to split a laser beam into two equal halves and then uses an odd number of additional mirrors to reflect each half first behind and then to the opposite one of the two mirrors to be reflected back as a beam having interchanged halves.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for laser shock peening a target surface, the method comprising the steps of:a) generating a first pulse of a laser beam from a cavity dumping oscillator having, in optical alignment, a first end mirror, a Pockels cell, a polarizer, an optically-pumped slab laser

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for laser shock peening a target surface, the method comprising the steps of:a) generating a first pulse of a laser beam from a cavity dumping oscillator having, in optical alignment, a first end mirror, a Pockels cell, a polarizer, an optically-pumped slab laser, and a second end mirror, wherein said first pulse has a cross section taken perpendicular to said laser beam, and wherein said cross section of said first pulse has a generally rectangular shape;b) directing said first pulse against a first generally rectangular area on said target surface;c) generating a second pulse of said laser beam, wherein said second pulse has a cross section taken perpendicular to said laser beam, and wherein said cross section of said second pulse has a shape which is generally identical to said generally-rectangular shape of said cross section of said first pulse; andd) directing said second pulse against a second generally rectangular area on said target surface, wherein said second rectangular area is proximate said first rectangular area.