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US 5,327,444 AGranted
Solid state waveguide lasers
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorAram Mooradian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solid state waveguide laser system is comprised of a cavity resonator formed of a solid state gain medium extending between input and output surfaces and having a reflectivity medium laterally bounding the gain medium and wherein the index of refraction of the reflectivity medium is greater than that of the gain medium.
Claims40
A solid state waveguide laser comprising:
- a) a solid state laser gain material having a cross-sectional width D, and length 1 and index of refraction n.sub.1 ;
- b) a reflective material having an index of refraction n.sub.2 extending along the length of said gain material and wherein n.sub.2 >n.sub.1 ;
- and
- c) input and output surfaces formed on the opposite ends of the gain material.
1 more element
An array of solid state waveguide lasers comprising:
- a) a slab of reflective material having an index of refraction n.sub.2 with slots formed therein extending along a longitudinal axis thereof;
- b) a body of solid state gain material disposed in said slots and having an index of refraction n.sub.1 and wherein n.sub.2 is greater than n.sub.1 ;
- c) an input and an output surface on respective opposite ends of the body;
- and
- d) a linear array of pump diodes disposed opposite the input surface for generating light which is coupled to said gain material to cause the material to lase.
2 more elements
A solid state waveguide laser system comprising:
- a) a pumping device for generating pumping light;
- b) a solid state gain medium having an input surface at a first end thereof and an output surface at a second end thereof;
- c) optical means for coupling pumping light from the pumping device onto said input surface;
- and
- d) a reflective medium enclosing said gain medium on lateral sides thereof, said reflective medium having an index of refraction greater than the index of refraction of said gain medium.
2 more elements
A laser system comprising:
- a) a gain region having a gain medium;
- b) pump means for longitudinally pumping the gain medium with light to cause the gain medium to lase;
- c) a surface on an end of the gain medium nearest the pump means having a low reflectivity at the wavelength of the pump light and high reflectivity at the lase wavelength;
- d) a guide region having a body of material having an index of refraction n.sub.1 disposed at an end of the gain medium furthest from the pump means;
- and
- e) a reflectivity region around the guide region having an index of refraction n.sub.2 which is greater than n.sub.1.
3 more elements
A method of forming a solid state waveguide laser comprising the steps of:
- a) a solid state laser gain material having a cross-sectional width D, length 1 and index of refraction n.sub.1 ;
- b) a reflective material having an index of refraction n.sub.2 extending along the length of said gain material and wherein n.sub.2 >n.sub.1 ;
- and
- c) input and output surfaces formed on opposite ends of the gain material.
1 more element
The method of forming an array of solid state waveguide lasers comprising the steps of:
- a) forming a slab of reflective material having an index of refraction n.sub.2 ;
- b) forming slots in the slab extending along a longitudinal axis thereof;
- c) disposing a body of solid state gain material in said slots, said body having an index of refraction n.sub.1 and wherein n.sub.2 is greater than n.sub.1 ;
- d) forming input and an output surfaces on respective opposite ends of the body;
- and
- e) disposing a linear array of pump diodes opposite the input surface for generating light which is coupled to said gain material to cause the material to lase.
3 more elements
A method of forming a solid state waveguide laser system comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a pumping device for generating pumping light;
- b) forming a solid state gain medium;
- c) forming an input surface at a first end of the gain medium;
- d) forming an output surface at a second end of the gain medium;
- e) coupling light from the pumping device onto said input surface;
- and
- f) enclosing said gain medium on lateral sides thereof with a reflective medium having an index of refraction greater than the index of refraction of said gain medium.
4 more elements
A method for forming a laser system comprising the steps of:
- a) forming a gain region having a gain medium;
- b) providing a light pump means for longitudinally pumping the gain medium with light to cause the gain medium to lase;
- c) forming a surface on an end of the gain medium nearest the pump means having a low reflectivity at the wavelength of the pump light and high reflectivity at the lase wavelength;
- d) forming a guide region from a body of material having an index of refraction n.sub.1 and disposing the body at an end of the gain medium furthest from the pump means;
- and
- e) forming a reflectivity region around the guide region having an index of refraction n.sub.2 which is greater than n.sub.1.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.