US 4,665,529 A · Laser diode pumped solid state laser with miniaturized quick disconnect laser head

Abstract

A compact laser head for a solid state laser has a miniaturized laser rod and output coupling mirror which form a miniaturized laser cavity. A miniaturized frequency doubler crystal placed in the cavity provides frequency doubled output. The laser head is connected by an optical fiber to a separate power suply which contains a laser diode pumping source. A quick disconnect connector enables the fiber optic to be easily connected to the laser head. Pumping radiation is transmitted through the optical fiber to longitudinally end pump the laser rod using fiber coupling imagery. The fiber is aligned with the rod by the connector and the pumping radiation is imaged into the rod by a focussing sphere. The pumping volume is matched to the lasing volume which is determined by the cavity geometry. The quick disconnect laser head allows interchange of different heads with different output characteristics while using a single power supply.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A compact laser head, comprising:

a compact hollow housing;
a miniaturized solid state laser rod mounted in the housing;
a miniaturized output coupling mirror mounted in the housing;
the laser rod and output coupling mirror forming a miniaturized laser cavity;
precision optical alignment connector means mounted to the housing for connecting an optical fiber to the housing, said connector means providing quick disconnect of the optical fiber to the housing and optical alignment of an output from the fiber with the laser cavity;
and
means for matching an image size of the optical fiber connected to the housing to a mode size of the laser rod, allowing different laser heads having different output characteristics to be interchanged with the optical fiber;
and
imaging means mounted in the housing for imaging the output of the optical fiber into the laser rod to longitudinally end pump the laser rod.

6 more elements

A compact laser head, comprising:

a compact hollow housing;
a first end cap attached to one end of the housing;
a first ball mount rotatably mounted between a first beveled edge on the inside of the housing and the first end cap;
a miniaturized output coupling mirror mounted in the first ball mount;
the first ball mount having a tube extending therefrom longitudinally into the housing;
first position adjustment means extending through the housing and contacting the tube of the first ball mount for rotating tne first ball mount;
a holder mounted in the other end of the housing;
a miniaturized solid state laser rod mounted in the holder;
the laser rod and output coupling mirror forming a miniaturized laser cavity;
imaging means mounted in the holder in a spaced relationship to the laser rod;
a second end cap attached to the housing and surrounding the holder;
quick disconnect means extending from the second end cap for connecting an optical fiber to the housing so that the imaging means images the output of the optical fiber into the laser rod to longitudinally end pump the laser rod.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser diode pumped solid state laser with miniaturized quick disconnect laser head

Life of this patent

Laser diode pumped solid state laser with miniaturized quick disconnect laser head

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20