Passively q-switched laser and laser system for ranging applications
OwnerThomas James Kane, John Lawrence Nightingaleinventors
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Abstract
A passively, Q-switched laser is described. The laser may operate at an eye-safe lasing wavelength of 1.34 microns and use a gain element of Nd:YVO4 and a saturable absorber element of V:YAG with a space separating the gain element and saturable absorber element. The Q-switched laser is pumped by a grating stabilized laser diode. The laser may be used in laser ranging applications.
Claims20
A passively Q-switched laser configured to output a series of output pulses in an output beam at an eye-safe lasing wavelength, the passively Q-switched laser comprising:
- a gain element having a first and a second surface, the first surface having a reflective coating at the eye-safe lasing wavelength to form a first end of a resonator;
- a saturable absorber element;
- a space between the gain element and the saturable absorber element;
- a second end of the resonator having a partially transmitting optical coating at the eye-safe lasing wavelength;
- and
- a pump source emits a pump beam directed to the first surface of the gain element forming a pump spot, wherein the pump source is a laser diode and an output wavelength of the pump beam of the laser diode is locked by a grating.
A passively Q-switched laser configured to output a series of output pulses in an output beam at a lasing wavelength, the passively Q-switched laser comprising:
- a gain element having a first and a second surface, the first surface having a reflective coating at the lasing wavelength to form a first end of a resonator;
- a saturable absorber element;
- a space between the gain element and the saturable absorber element;
- a second end of the resonator having a partially transmitting optical coating at the eye-safe lasing wavelength;
- and
- a pump source emits a pump beam directed to the first surface of the gain element forming a pump spot, wherein the pump source is a laser diode and an output wavelength of the pump beam of the laser diode is locked by a grating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.