Laser resonator assembly
OwnerThomas James Kane, John Lawrence Nightingaleinventors
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Abstract
A laser resonator assembly and a method of assembly of the laser resonator assembly are described. The laser resonator assembly has a gain element and an output coupler that are placed in a gain element frame and output coupler frame, respectively. The output coupler may also be a saturable absorber element so that the laser resonator assembly emits Q-switched pulses. The frames provide heat dissipation and can be easily aligned and permanently affixed in an appropriate alignment. A laser using the laser resonator assembly can be assembled in a low-cost manner.
Claims19
A laser resonator assembly comprising:
- a gain element having a first and a second surface,
- a first end of the resonator formed by a highly reflective coating at a lasing wavelength on the first surface of the gain element;
- an output coupler having a first and second surface;
- a second end of the resonator formed by a partially transmitting optical coating at the lasing wavelength on the second surface of the output coupler;
- a gain element frame that secures the gain element to form a gain element assembly;
- an output coupler frame, separate and distinct from the gain element frame, that secures the output coupler to form an output coupler assembly;
- and
- a gain element cap plate, wherein the gain element cap plate includes an aperture configured to transmit a pump beam without substantially clipping the pump beam.
A method of assembly of a laser resonator assembly comprising:
- assembling a gain element assembly from a gain element and a gain element frame, wherein a first end of a laser resonator is on a first surface of the gain element;
- assembling an output coupler assembly from an output coupler and an output coupler frame, wherein a second end of the laser resonator is on a second surface of the output coupler;
- placing the gain element assembly and the output coupler assembly in an alignment fixture with an adjustment member mechanically connecting the gain element assembly and the output coupler assembly;
- adjusting an angular alignment between the gain element and the output coupler so that the first end of the laser resonator is parallel to the second end of the laser resonator;
- and
- permanently affixing the gain element assembly and the output coupler assembly in this alignment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.