Laser apparatus
AssigneeCarl Zeiss AG
InventorNorman Hodgson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for producing laser radiation substantially at 1,444 .mu.m. Embodiments of the present invention are improved structures for neodymium lasers wherein an active laser material is formed in the shape of a rod, a tube, and a slab, including embodiments of a slab laser wherein the slab is pumped by diode arrays. In particular, the improved designs relate to the reflectivities assigned to reflectors which form the laser resonator; the structure of the pumping apparatus (including the shape and composition of the pumping cavity); the concentration of Nd; the dimensions of the active material; the structure of the laser resonator; and the pumping parameters such as pulse duration, pulse rate, and pump energy.
Claims54
A long wavelength neodymium laser which comprises:
- a housing comprising a reflective optical cavity;
- an active laser material disposed in the optical cavity, the active laser material being comprised of a crystalline or glass host being doped with neodymium;
- pumping means, disposed in the housing, for pumping the active laser material with radiation;
- drive means for adjustably driving the pumping means to produce pulses of the radiation;
- wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively high reflection in a range of wavelengths substantially between about 1.4 .mu.m and about 1.5 .mu.m and for producing relatively low reflection substantially at predetermined other ranges of wavelength;
- wherein the wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively low reflection comprises means having reflectivity:
- (a) less than about 0.076 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.064 .mu.m;
- (b) less than about 0.652 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.338 .mu.m;
- (c) less than about 0.797 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.335 .mu.m;
- (d) less than about 0.85 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.33 .mu.m;
- and (e) less than about 0.907 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.321 .mu.m.
A long wavelength neodymium laser which comprises:
- a housing comprising a reflective optical cavity;
- an active laser material disposed in the optical cavity, the active laser material being comprised of a crystalline or glass host being doped with neodymium;
- pumping means, disposed in the housing, for pumping the active laser material with radiation;
- drive means for adjustably driving the pumping means to produce pulses of the radiation;
- wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively high reflection in a range of wavelengths substantially between about 1.4 .mu.m and about 1.5 .mu.m and for producing relatively low reflection substantially at predetermined other ranges of wavelength;
- wherein the wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively low reflection comprises means having reflectivity:
- (a) less than about 0.076 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.064 .mu.m and (b) less than about 0.652 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.32 .mu.m.
A long wavelength neodymium laser which comprises:
- a housing;
- an active laser material disposed in the housing, the active laser material being comprised of a slab of a crystalline or glass host being doped with neodymium;
- diode pumping means, disposed in the housing, for pumping the active laser material with radiation;
- drive means for adjustably driving the pumping means to produce pulses of the radiation;
- wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively high reflection in a range of wavelengths substantially between about 1.4 .mu.m and about 1.5 .mu.m and for producing relatively low reflection substantially at predetermined other ranges of wavelength;
- wherein the wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively low reflection comprises means having reflectivity:
- (a) less than about 0.076 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.064 .mu.m and (b) less than about 0.652 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.32 .mu.m.
The long wavelength neodymium laser of claim 53 wherein the drive means comprises means for adjusting the pulse durations of the diode pumping means substantially in a range from about 200 .mu.sec to about 300 .mu.sec and for driving the diode pumping means to output peak power substantially in a range from about 2 kW/cm.sup.2 to about 3 kW/cm.sup.2.
A long wavelength neodymium laser which comprises:
- a housing;
- an active laser material disposed in the housing, the active laser material being comprised of a slab of a crystalline or glass host being doped with neodymium;
- diode pumping means, disposed in the housing, for pumping the active laser material with radiation;
- drive means for adjustably driving the pumping means to produce pulses of the radiation;
- wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively high reflection in a range of wavelengths substantially between about 1.4 .mu.m and about 1.5 .mu.m and for producing relatively low reflection substantially at predetermined other ranges of wavelength;
- wherein the wavelength selective resonator means for producing relatively low reflection comprises means having reflectivity:
- (a) less than about 0.076 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.064 .mu.m;
- (b) less than about 0.652 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.338 .mu.m;
- (c) less than about 0.797 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.335 .mu.m;
- (d) less than about 0.85 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.33 .mu.m;
- and (e) less than about 0.907 for wavelengths substantially equal to 1.321 .mu.m.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.