Patent ID: 7114858

Claim:
A laser based ignition (LBI) system for stationary natural gas engines comprising: a high power pulsed laser providing a pulsed emission output; a plurality of laser plugs coupled to said high power pulsed laser; a respective one of said plurality of laser plugs being provided in an engine cylinder; and each said laser plug focuses a laser emission output from said pulsed laser to a focal spot having a high electric field gradient at said focal spot for photoionization of a combustible mixture resulting in ignition; a rotating mirror distributor and a fiber optic delivery system coupled between said high power pulsed laser and said plurality of laser plugs; said optical fiber being selected one of a fused silica step index fiber having a damage threshold of ≧5 GW/cm 2 ; a fused silica graded index fiber having a damage threshold of ≧5 GW/cm 2 ; a fused silica fiber having a tapered end at the launch end; a photonic bandgap fiber; or a hallow wave guide having metal/dielectric coatings on an inside.