Tunable solid-state laser
AssigneeAlcon Surgical, Inc.
InventorT. Scott Rowe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solid-state tunable laser having a ND:YAG pumping source, a chromium-doped fosterite crystal lasing medium, a birefringent filter for selecting a specific fundamental wavelength, a pair of harmonic generating crystals mounted on counter-rotating platforms driven by stepper motors under the control of a computer, a partially reflective, partially transmissive mirror for directing the output of the pumping source through the lasing medium so that the lasing medium produces radiation having a range of fundamental wavelengths, and a fully reflective mirror for directing the radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength through the birefringent filter and the pair of crystals so as to produce radiation of a harmonic wavelength of the specific fundamental wavelength.
Claims41
A tunable solid-state laser, comprising:
- a) a pumping source producing a first radiation beam;
- b) a lasing medium pumped by the first radiation beam and producing a second radiation beam having a wavelength within a range of fundamental wavelengths;
- c) a birefringent filter;
- d) a means for tuning the birefringent filter-to select a specific fundamental wavelength from the range of fundamental wavelengths produced by the lasing medium;
- e) a pair of counter-rotating harmonic generating crystals;
- f) a means for directing the second radiation beam through the birefringent filter and the pair of counter-rotating harmonic generating crystals;
- and
- g) a means for counter-rotating the crystals so as to produce radiation having a wavelength that is a desired harmonic of the specific fundamental wavelength.
The laser of claim I wherein the pumping source comprises a ND:YAG laser.
A tunable solid-state laser, comprising:
- a) a ND:YAG pumping source producing a first radiation beam;
- b) a chromium-doped fosterite crystal lasing medium pumped by the first radiation beam and producing a second radiation beam having a wavelength within a range of fundamental wavelengths;
- c) a birefringent filter;
- d) a first stepper motor under control of a computer driving a rotating platform on which the birefringent filter is mounted for tuning the birefringent filter so as to select a specific fundamental wavelength from the range of fundamental wavelengths produced by the lasing medium;
- e) a pair of lithium triborate crystals mounted on counter-rotating platforms;
- f) a mirror directing the second radiation beam through the birefringent filter and the pair of lithium triborate crystals;
- and
- g) a second stepper motor under control of the computer for counter-rotating the crystals a predetermined amount so as to produce radiation having a wavelength that is a desired harmonic of the specific fundamental wavelength.
A tunable solid-state laser, comprising:
- a) a ND:YAG pumping source producing a first radiation beam;
- b) a chromium-doped fosterite crystal lasing medium pumped by the first radiation beam and producing a second radiation beam having a wavelength within a range of fundamental wavelengths;
- c) a birefringent filter
- d) a first stepper motor under control of a computer driving a rotating platform on which the birefringent filter is mounted for tuning the birefringent filter so as to select a specific fundamental wavelength from the range of fundamental wavelengths produced by the lasing medium;
- e) a pair of beta-barium borate crystals mounted on counter-rotating platforms;
- f) a mirror directing the second radiation beam through the birefringent filter and the pair of beta-barium borate crystals;
- and
- g) a second stepper motor under control of the computer for counter-rotating the crystals a predetermined amount so as to produce radiation having a wavelength that is a desired harmonic of the specific fundamental wavelength.
A method of producing laser radiation of a desired harmonic wavelength from a specific fundamental wavelength, comprising the steps of:
- a) producing a pumping beam of radiation from a pumping source;
- b) passing the pumping beam through a lasing medium to produce an output radiation beam having a range of fundamental wavelengths;
- c) passing the output radiation beam through a birefringent filter and tuning the birefringent filter to produce radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength;
- d) passing the radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength through a pair of harmonic generating crystals;
- and
- e) variably counter-rotating the crystals a predetermined amount so as to produce radiation having a wavelength that is the desired harmonic of the specific fundamental Wavelength.
A method of producing laser radiation of a desired harmonic wavelength from a specific fundamental wavelength, comprising the steps of:
- a) producing a pumping beam of radiation from a ND:YAG laser pumping source;
- b) passing the pumping beam through a chromium-doped fosterite crystal to produce an output radiation beam having a range of fundamental wavelengths;
- c) passing the output radiation beam through a birefringent filter and tuning the birefringent filter to produce radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength;
- c) passing the radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength through a pair of lithium triborate crystals;
- and
- d) variably counter-rotating the crystals a predetermined amount so as to produce radiation having a wavelength that is the desired harmonic of the specific fundamental wavelength.
A method of producing laser radiation of a desired harmonic wavelength from a specific fundamental wavelength, comprising the steps of:
- a) producing a pumping beam of radiation from a ND:YAG laser pumping source;
- b) passing the pumping beam through a chromium-doped fosterite crystal to produce an output radiation beam having a range of fundamental wavelengths;
- c) passing the output radiation beam through a birefringent filter and tuning the birefringent filter to produce radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength;
- c) passing the radiation of the specific fundamental wavelength through a pair of beta-barium borate crystals;
- and
- d) variably counter-rotating the crystals a predetermined amount so as to produce radiation having a wavelength that is the desired harmonic of the specific fundamental wavelength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.