Ultrashort pulse amplification in cryogenically cooled amplifiers
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
InventorsSterling J. Backus, Henry C. Kapteyn, Margaret Mary Murnane
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Abstract
A laser amplifier system amplifies pulses in a single “stage” from ˜10−9 joules to more than 10−3 joules, with average power of 1-10 watts, and beam quality M2<2. The laser medium is cooled substantially below room temperature, as a means to improve the optical and thermal characteristics of the medium. This is done with the medium inside a sealed, evacuated or purged cell to avoid moisture or other materials condensing on the surface. A “seed” pulse from a separate laser is passed through the laser medium, one or more times, in any of a variety of configurations including single-pass, multiple-pass, and regenerative amplifier configurations.
Claims20
Single stage laser amplifying apparatus comprising:
- an oscillator assembly for providing input light to be amplified;
- a pump laser for providing pumping;
- and
- an amplifier for amplifying the input light from on the order of 10−9 Joules to on the order of 10−3 Joules, the amplifier pumped by the pump laser;
- wherein the amplifier includes a cryogenically-cooled amplifying medium;
- and
- wherein the amplifier provides substantially all of the amplification of the amplifying apparatus.
Single stage laser amplifying apparatus comprising:
- an oscillator assembly for providing input pulses to be amplified;
- a pump laser for providing pumping;
- and
- an amplifier for amplifying the input pulses [high gain], the amplifier pumped by the pump laser;
- wherein the amplifier includes a cryogenically cooled amplifying medium;
- wherein the amplifier provides substantially all of the amplification of the amplifying apparatus;
- and
- wherein the amplifying medium is selected from the following list:
- a) Nd3+:Y3Al5O12
- b) Nd3+:YAlO3
- c) Ti3+:Al2O3
- d) Ce3+:LiCaAlF4
- e) Ce3+:LiSrAlF4
- f) Nd3+:LiYF4
- g) Yb3+:Y3Al5O12
- h) Cr3+:Al2O3
- i) Cr3+:LiCaAlF4
- j) Cr3+:LiSrAlF4
- k) Pr3+:LiYF4
- l) Nd3+:KY(WO4)2
- m) Ho3+:YAlO3
- n) Ho3+:Y3Al5O2
- o) Ho3+:LiYF4
- p) Er3+:LiYF4
- q) Er3+:Y3Al5O12
- r) Er3+:YAlO3
- s) Tm3+:YAlO3
- t) Tm3+:Y3Al5O12
The method of amplifying a coherent light beam in a single stage, comprising the steps of:
- providing coherent input light to be amplified;
- pumping the coherent light with a pump laser;
- and
- amplifying the pumped coherent light from on the order of 10−9 Joules to on the order of 10−3 Joules with an amplifier;
- wherein the amplifier includes a cryogenically-cooled amplifying medium;
- and
- wherein the amplifier provides substantially all of the amplification of the amplifying apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.