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US 5,309,454 AGranted
Apparatus for wavelength conversion of laser light
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorYoichi Taira
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for wavelength conversion of laser light which can prevent optical destruction of a wavelength conversion element and achieve a high wavelength conversion efficiency. The apparatus for wavelength conversion of laser light has an optical focusing system for focusing the input laser light on the wavelength conversion element in an optical cavity, which optical focusing system makes the cross-sectional shape of a light beam non-circular, for example, elliptical.
Claims44
An apparatus for converting the wavelength of a laser light beam, comprising:
- a plurality of reflecting surfaces;
- a wavelength conversion element interposed between said reflecting surfaces, some of the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element within an acceptance angle, the acceptance angle having a first larger magnitude in a first plane passing through the wavelength conversion element and a second smaller magnitude in a second plane passing through the wavelength conversion element, the first and second planes being perpendicular to one another;
- means for focusing said laser light beam on said wavelength conversion element;
- and
- said focusing means including means for making the cross section of said laser light beam focused on said wavelength conversion element non-circular so that the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element converges within the first larger magnitude of the acceptance angle more than within the second smaller magnitude of the acceptance angle to thereby improve the conversion efficiency while providing directional focusing and prevention of optical damage.
2 more elements
An apparatus for generating coherent light, comprising:
- a plurality of reflecting surfaces;
- a laser medium for generating laser light between said reflecting surfaces;
- a wavelength conversion element between said plurality of reflecting surfaces for converting the wavelength of said laser light, some of the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element within an acceptance angle, the acceptance angle having a first larger magnitude in a first plane passing through the wavelength conversion element and a second smaller magnitude in a second plane passing through the wavelength conversion element, the first and second planes being perpendicular to one another;
- means for focusing said laser light on said wavelength conversion element;
- and said focusing means including means for making the cross section of the laser light focused on said wavelength conversion element non-circular so that the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element converges within the first larger magnitude of the acceptance angle more than within the second smaller magnitude of the acceptance angle to thereby improve the conversion efficiency while providing directional focusing and prevention of optical damage.
2 more elements
A method for converting the wavelength of a laser light beam, comprising:
- providing a plurality of reflecting surfaces;
- interposing a wavelength conversion element between said reflecting surfaces, some of the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element within an acceptance angle, the acceptance angle having a first larger magnitude in a first plane passing through the wavelength conversion element and a second smaller magnitude in a second plane passing through the wavelength conversion element, the first and second planes being perpendicular to one another;
- focusing said laser light beam on said wavelength conversion element such that the cross section of said laser light beam focused on said wavelength conversion element is non-circular so that the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element converges within the first larger magnitude of the acceptance angle more than within the second smaller magnitude of the acceptance angle to thereby improve the conversion efficiency while providing directional focusing and prevention of optical damage.
A method for generating coherent light, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of reflecting surfaces;
- positioning a laser medium for generating laser light between said reflecting surfaces;
- placing a wavelength conversion element between said plurality of reflecting surfaces for converting the wavelength of said laser light, some of the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element within an acceptance angle, the acceptance angle having a first larger magnitude in a first plane passing through the wavelength conversion element and a second smaller magnitude in a second plane passing through the wavelength conversion element, the first and second planes being perpendicular to one another;
- and
- focusing said laser light on said wavelength conversion element such that the cross section of the laser light focused on said wavelength conversion element is non-circular in shape so that the laser light beam entering the wavelength conversion element converges within the first larger magnitude of the acceptance angle more than within the second smaller magnitude of the acceptance angle to thereby improve the conversion efficiency while providing directional focusing and prevention of optical damage.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.