Patent ID: 9001853
Filing Date: 2015-04-07
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A method of exciting sodium atoms, comprising: a. selecting a first and a second wavelength which when frequency summed produce a third wavelength capable of exciting said sodium atoms, b. generating internally circulating pulsed coherent light at said second wavelength by laser action in a laser oscillator, wherein the pulse repetition frequency of said internally circulating pulsed coherent light is chosen to be near the Larmor frequency of said sodium atoms, or near a subharmonic of that frequency, c. positioning a nonlinear crystal so that it is traversed by said internally circulating pulsed coherent light, d. generating a beam of coherent light at said first wavelength, e. passing said beam of coherent light at said first wavelength once through said nonlinear crystal to generate a pulsed beam of coherent light at said third wavelength by sum frequency generation, f. transmitting said pulsed beam of coherent light at said third wavelength to said sodium atoms.