Low-speckle light source and imaging devices with micro-refractive element stabilized laser array
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsJose A. Rivera, Austin Steinforth, J. Gary Eden
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Abstract
A light source for an imaging system. The light source includes a microresonator laser array having opposing mirrors arranged substantially parallel to one another. A laser gain medium is between the opposing mirrors. An array of microrefractive elements is arranged to stabilize the microresonator. A pump laser's output is shaped by a lens that directs it toward the micro-resonator laser array. An output lens directs a plurality of laser beams from the microresonator laser array to be incoherently combined at an object to be illuminated.
Claims20
A light source for an imaging system, the light source comprising:
- a microresonator laser array including opposing mirrors arranged substantially parallel to one another, a laser gain medium between the opposing mirrors and an array of microrefractive elements arranged to stabilize the microresonator;
- a pump laser and a lens that shapes the pump laser and directs it toward the micro-resonator laser array;
- and
- optics to direct a plurality of laser beams from the microresonator laser array toward an object to be illuminated.
An optical resonator, comprising:
- opposing mirrors arranged substantially parallel to each other and separated to confine reflections therebetween;
- an array of microrefractive elements arranged to stabilize the microresonator, the array of microrefractive elements comprising gain medium;
- a pump laser and a lens that shapes the pump laser and directs it toward the micro-resonator laser array to generate output laser light stabilized by the array of microrefractive elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.