Extreme-cold high-power laser system
AssigneesUniversity of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc., University of Ottawa
InventorsChase Evan Geiger, Zenghu Chang, Yi Wu
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Abstract
A laser system may include one or more pump lasers configured to provide pump light. The laser system may include an amplifier having one or more gain media cooled below 20° C. using a liquid coolant and configured to amplify seed light having a wavelength at or greater than 2 micrometers. The laser system may include an enclosure with an atmospheric regulator to enclose at least an optical path of at least the gain media and maintain an atmosphere of dry gas.
Claims23
A laser system comprising:
- one or more pump lasers configured to provide pump light;
- an amplifier including one or more gain media configured to amplify seed light, wherein the one or more gain media have at least one of a quasi-three-level energy system or a quasi-four-level energy system;
- a cooling system configured to cool the one or more gain media to a temperature at or below −20° C. using a liquid coolant;
- and
- an enclosure with an atmospheric regulator to enclose at least the one or more gain media and maintain an atmosphere of dry gas.
A chirped-pulse amplifier comprising:
- a stretcher configured to receive pulsed seed light and generate chirped seed light;
- one or more gain media configured to amplify the chirped seed light, wherein the one or more gain media have at least one of a quasi-three-level energy system or a quasi-four-level energy system;
- a cooling system configured to cool the one or more gain media to a temperature below −20° C. using a liquid coolant;
- a compressor configured to compress amplified chirped seed light to generate output light;
- and
- thermal insulation positioned between the one or more gain media and surrounding support structures.
A method of operating a laser system comprising:
- providing pump light from one or more pump lasers;
- cooling one or more gain media to a temperature below −20° C. using a liquid coolant, wherein the one or more gain media have at least one of a quasi-three-level energy system or a quasi-four-level energy system;
- amplifying seed light using the one or more gain media;
- and
- maintaining an atmosphere of dry gas around at least an optical path of the seed light using an atmospheric regulator within an enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.