Apparatus for the efficient wavelength conversion of laser radiation

An apparatus for generating output laser power at a desired frequency, said apparatus comprising:

• injection-locked laser diode means having a large active area for emitting a diffraction-limited beam at a preselected frequency;
• optical means for focusing said diffraction-limited beam into a focused beam;
• and
• means responsive to said focused beam for developing an output beam at a desired frequency, said developing means including:
• laser means for emitting a laser beam at a second preselected frequency, frequency mixing means responsive to said focused beam and to said laser beam for generating sum and difference frequencies of said focused and laser beams, and means for selecting a desired on of said sum and difference frequencies as said desired frequency of said output beam.

An apparatus for generating output laser power at a desired frequency, said apparatus comprising:

• injection-locked laser diode means having a large active area for emitting a diffraction-limited beam at a preselected frequency, said injection-locked laser diode means comprising a master laser for emitting a laser beam at said preselected frequency, a semiconductor diode laser array being injection-locked by said laser beam from said master laser with said injection-locked array emitting said diffraction-limited beam at said preselected frequency, and means for shaping and focusing said laser beam from said master laser onto said array of semiconductor diode lasers to injection-lock said array;
• optical means for focusing said diffraction-limited beam into a focused beam;
• and
• means responsive to said focused beam for developing an output beam at a desired frequency, said developing means including:
• frequency multiplying means responsive to said focused beam for producing a beam of laser power which includes said output beam at a desired harmonic of said preselected frequency, and means for passing said output beam in a given direction.

An apparatus for generating output laser power at a desired frequency, said apparatus comprising:

• injection-locked laser diode means having a large active area for emitting a diffraction-limited beam at a preselected frequency, said injection-locked laser diode means comprising:
• a master laser for emitting a laser beam at said preselected frequency, a broad stripe diode laser having a large active area for emitting a diffraction-limited beam at said preselected frequency, and means for shaping and focusing said laser beam from said master laser onto said broad stripe diode laser to injection-lock said broad stripe diode laser;
• optical means for focusing said diffraction-limited beam into a focused beam;
• and
• means responsive to said focused beam for developing an output beam at a desired frequency, said developing means including;
• frequency multiplying means responsive to said focused beam for producing a beam of laser power which includes said output beam at a desired harmonic of said preselected frequency, and means for passing said output beam in a given direction.

An apparatus for generating output laser power at a desired frequency, said apparatus comprising:

• a master laser for emitting a diffraction-limited beam at a preselected frequency;
• diode array means for amplifying said diffraction-limited beam;
• optical means for focusing said amplified diffraction-limited beam into a focused beam;
• and
• means responsive to said focused beam for developing an output means at a desired frequency.