Method and apparatus for efficient operationof a solid-state laser optically pumped by an unstable resonator semiconductor laser
AssigneeElectro Scientific Industries, Inc.
InventorsBrian Baird, Richard DeFreez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
High-power optical output (60) that exhibits a high degree of lateral and transverse spatial coherence from an unstable resonator semiconductor laser (14) is efficiently optically coupled into a lasant mode volume (76) of a solid-state laser (28). This apparatus and method of pumping enable the preferred lasants, Cr:LiCAF and Cr:LiSAF, to reach laser operation at a reduced pumping level.
Claims26
A method for generating bright output light from a solid-state laser including a solid-state lasant having an absorption bandwidth and a mode volume, comprising:
- employing an unstable resonator semiconductor laser to generate optical pumping light having an emission wavelength that is well-matched to the absorption bandwidth of the solid-state laser;
- and
- efficiently coupling the optical pumping light from the unstable resonator semiconductor laser into the mode volume of the solid-state laser to generate bright output light.
A method for substantially improving optical brightness of output light generated by a high-power unstable semiconductor laser resonator, comprising:
- selecting a length for the resonator, the resonator having a mirror with a radius of curvature and generating an output light from a virtual point source in a lateral plane and a real point source in a transverse plane;
- and
- selecting the radius of curvature of the mirror in conjunction with the resonator length so that the output light has a lateral divergence angle originating from the virtual point source and a transverse divergence angle originating from the real point source that are substantially equal, thereby generating bright output light having a high degree lateral and transverse spatial coherence.
A high-power unstable resonator semiconductor laser for generating optical output, comprising:
- a resonator having a length, a virtual point source in a lateral plane, and a real point source in a transverse plane;
- and
- a mirror having a radius of curvature that forms one end of the resonator, the resonator length and mirror radius of curvature selected so that optical field propagating within the high-power semiconductor laser experiences greater than unity lateral magnification and so that the optical field has a lateral divergence angle originating from the virtual point source and a transverse divergence angle originating from the real point source that are substantially equal, thereby to provide optical output having a high degree of lateral and transverse spatial coherence.
An unstable resonator semiconductor laser-pumped, solid-state laser, comprising:
- a solid-state resonator cavity having a first optic axis and having a rear mirror and an output mirror positioned about the first optic axis such that the mirrors form ends of the optical resonator cavity;
- a solid-state lasant positioned about the first optic axis and between the rear mirror and the output mirror, the solid-state lasant having an absorption bandwidth and a mode volume;
- an unstable resonator semiconductor laser having a second optic axis and positioned so that the second optical axis is substantially coaxial with the first optic axis, the unstable resonator semiconductor laser also having an emission wavelength that is well-matched to the absorption bandwidth of the solid-state lasant;
- and
- a coupling system to efficiently collect optical output from the unstable resonator semiconductor laser and subsequently guide the optical output into the solid-state lasant mode volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.