Luminescent light source for laser pumping and laser system containing same
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsRoy A. Hamil, Carol S. Ashley, C. Jeffrey Brinker, Scott Reed, Robert J. Walko
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Abstract
The invention relates to a pumping lamp for use with lasers comprising a porous substrate loaded with a component capable of emitting light upon interaction of the component with exciting radiation and a source of exciting radiation. Preferably, the pumping lamp comprises a source of exciting radiation, such as an electron beam, and an aerogel or xerogel substrate loaded with a component capable of interacting with the exciting radiation, e.g., a phosphor, to produce light, e.g., visible light, of a suitable band width and of a sufficient intensity to generate a laser beam from a laser material.
Claims31
In a laser apparatus for use in generating a laser beam, said apparatus comprising a lasing material and pumping means, the improvement wherein said pumping means comprises a porous substrate loaded with a component capable of emitting light upon interaction of the component with exciting radiation.
A laser apparatus comprising:
- a laser material;
- a porous substrate loaded with a component capable of emitting light upon interaction of said component with exciting radiation;
- and
- a source of exciting radiation,
- wherein, upon interaction with exciting radiation, the loaded porous substrate can emit light within the absorption band width of said laser material and of a sufficient intensity to generate a laser beam.
A laser according to claim wherein said component is a photoluminescent material.
A laser according to claim wherein said aerogel substrate has a density of 0.075-0.30 g/cm.sup.3 and a surface area of 600-1200 m.sup.2 /g.
A laser according to claim, wherein said exciting radiation is 1.5 ev-3 ev visible light.
A method of forming a laser beam comprising pumping a laser material with a flash lamp wherein said flash lamp is a porous substrate loaded with a component capable of emitting light, upon interaction of said component with an exciting radiation, wherein the emitted light is within the absorption band width of the laser material and of a sufficient intensity to generate a laser beam, and
- wherein said flash lamp is activated by exposing said component to exciting radiation from a source thereof.
A method of optically pumping a lasing material comprising subjecting the laser material to light emitted from a component, said component being loaded in a porous substrate, wherein said component emits light by exposure to a source of exciting radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.