Compact, efficient, scalable neodymium laser co-doped with activator ions and pumped by visible laser diodes

Abstract

Efficient, low threshold laser emission from a laser crystal doped with chromium and neodymium ions is obtained when pumped by visible laser diodes in the range of 610 nm to 680 nm. A typical laser Cr,Nd:GSGG crystal having an extraordinarily broad absorption bandwidth allows high pump efficiencies when using visible laser diodes, particularly in comparison to the Nd:YAG laser. The broad absorption bandwidth tolerance of the Cr,Nd:GSGG crystal to the pumping wavelengths allows visible diode pumping of the neodymium transition without regard to the wavelength of the visible diodes. Longitudinal or end-pumping to take advantage of the emission properties of the visible laser diodes, a nearly hemispherical laser resonator configuration and other co-doped Cr,Nd laser host materials are disclosed. Consequently, costs are reduced for the semiconductor pump as well as producing a compact, efficient, lightweight and reliable laser previously unachievable with other types of laser or lamp pumping. As an improvement in a laser pumped Cr,Nd:GSGG laser, diode pumping brings the advantages of high electrical to optical efficiencies and compact design. End-pumping with the visible diodes allows efficient utilization of the visible laser diode pump light and further allows a more ideal overlap between the inversion profile created within the laser crystal by the pump fluence and the TEM.sub.00 resonator mode extracting fluence.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.