Patent ID: 7397600

Claim:
A pulse multiplier in which plurality of plane-polarized laser pulses of finite durations is generated from a single incoming plane-polarized laser pulse in a partially transmitting delay line comprising: means for providing entry of said incoming plane polarized pulse into said delay line; means for providing recirculation of said plane polarized pulse in said delay line in a plurality of round trips; means for partially transmitting said recirculating plane polarized pulse in said delay line during each round trip, and forming a plurality of outgoing plane polarized pulses during a predetermined number of round trips of said single pulse in said delay line; means for replenishing the energy lost by said recirculating pulse during each round trip; means for ejecting said recirculating plane polarized pulse from said delay line after a desired number of outgoing plane polarized pulses are produced from said pulse multiplier; and a first Pockels cell, having means for attachment within the delay line, rotates the polarization of said incoming pulse immediately after its first entry through said first beam splitter; said first Pockels cell being energized prior to the first entry of said pulse there through and rotates the polarization vector of said pulse by ninety degrees, and is turned off after passage of said pulse there through, thereby trapping said pulse in an optical delay line.