Laser induced plasma targets for use as an electromagnetic testbed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12104885-B2
Application number	US-202217657061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2022
Priority date	Mar 29, 2022
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A method and system for generating laser induced plasma targets for use as an electromagnetic testbed. A method comprising the steps of propagating an intense laser pulse in a media, dividing the laser pulse into a plurality of lasers, focusing each of the plurality of lasers, directing each of the plurality of lasers into a testbed and rastering a plasma-based array, wherein the array is reflective of incident frequencies. Additionally, a plasma target system comprising: a laser source, a focus lens, a steering system, a plasma-based array, and an interrogation system. The laser source generates a short laser pulse. The focus lens focuses the laser pulse. The steering system directs the laser pulse into a test bed. The plasma-based array serves as a target for the testbed. The interrogation system utilizes an incident frequency for tracking the plasma-based array.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising the steps of:
propagating an intense laser pulse in a media;
dividing the laser pulse into a plurality of lasers;
focusing each of the plurality of lasers;
directing each of the plurality of lasers into a testbed; and
rastering a plasma-based array, wherein the array is reflective of incident frequencies.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
steering the plasma-based array across a testbed.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting the location of the plasma-based array in the testbed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of laser undergo self-focusing to generate a plurality of plasma-based filaments.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein rastering the plasma-based array produces a three-dimension target geometry.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the incident frequency is radio frequency.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lasers undergo self-focusing to form a plurality plasma-filaments.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of plasma-filaments form a sheet-like plasma mirror.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the incident frequency is laser frequency.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
obscuring an interrogation system with plasma-based array, wherein the plasma-based array has assumed a target profile.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein steering the plasma-array induces a hypersonic apparent speed.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media is air.

13. A method to detect a plasma-based test target comprising the steps of:
using a laser source and optical beam forming techniques to create a plurality of plasma-based points;
generating a plasma target with the plurality of plasma-based points, wherein the plasma target appears solid to incident frequencies;
directing an incident energy from an interrogation system to the plasma target, wherein the interrogation system detects the location of the plasma-based target; and
receiving reflected energy, wherein the reflected energy indicates the instantaneous location of the plasma-based target to an interrogation system.

14. The method of detecting a plasma-based test target of claim 13 , further comprising:
steering the plasma target across a testbed.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
using the plasma-based target to obscure an interrogation system.

16. The method of using an electromagnetic testbed of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of plasma points form a three-dimensional test object.

17. The method of using an electromagnetic testbed of claim 13 , wherein the incident energy is radio frequency.

18. A plasma target system, comprising:
a laser source for generating a short laser pulse;
a focus lens for focusing the laser pulse;
a steering system for directing the laser pulse into a testbed;
a plasma-based array that serves as a target for the testbed; and
an interrogation system utilizing an incident frequency for tracking the plasma-based array.

19. The plasma target system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a plurality of steering mirrors for increasing the movement speed of the plasma array.

20. The method of using an electromagnetic testbed of claim 18 , wherein the incident energy is radio frequency.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Lynn Brittany E
• Hening Alexandru

Classifications

• F41H13/005 Primary

  the high-energy beam being a laser beam · CPC title

• G01S7/40

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S13/04

  Systems determining presence of a target (based on relative movement of target G01S13/56) · CPC title

• G01S7/4095

  the external reference signals being modulated, e.g. rotating a dihedral reflector or modulating a transponder for simulation of a Doppler echo · CPC title

• G01S7/4086

  in a calibrating environment, e.g. anechoic chamber · CPC title