Abstract :
The Electron Beam Scanlaser has been described and operated in terms of a scanning light source in which the easily deflected electron beam determines a spot from which laser light is emitted. However, the scanlaser concept can be generalized by considering it as a type of cathode ray tube, in which a degenerate laser samples the charge distribution on a particular target, and emits light from all points which have a certain charge (50 pico-coulombs in the present embodiment). A variety of consequences of this generalization will be considered. The source of the field across the crystal need not be a scanning electron beam, so that it should be possible to generate the charge pattern by means of a photocathode in conjunction with several multiplier stages, forming a "scanlaser image converter." Furthermore, the field across the KDP crystal used in the mode selector can be provided in a much more practical way; for example, by means of a matrix of conducting wires embedded in a CRT faceplate, such as is used in the electrostatic printing tube. Many other CRT devices can be applied to the scanlaser mode selector, and some of these will be discussed. A new scanlaser mode selector demonstrated in the laboratory will be reported which, among other advantages, provides a variable charge decay time which can be orders of magnitude faster than anything previously possible, with no loss in resolution.
