Optical sources having a strongly scattering gain medium providing laser-like action

An optical gain medium, comprising:

• a medium that is substantially transparent to at least one selected wavelength;
• a plurality of dye molecules contained within said medium for emitting and amplifying electromagnetic radiation, at the at least one selected wavelength, in response to excitation;
• and
• a plurality of particles contained within said medium, said particles having an index of refraction that differs from an index of refraction of said medium for scattering the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from said plurality of dye molecules for increasing the residence time of the electromagnetic radiation within said medium.

A gain medium exhibiting laser-like activity when excited by an excitation source, comprising:

• a medium that is substantially transparent to at least one selected wavelength, said medium having a volume and comprising a material selected for emitting and amplifying electromagnetic radiation in response to an excitation;
• and
• a plurality of particles contained within said medium, said particles having an index of refraction that differs from an index of refraction of said medium for scattering the emitted electromagnetic radiation for increasing the residence time of the electromagnetic radiation within said medium, wherein
• amplification of said electromagnetic radiation occurs within a portion of the volume of said medium.

A method for protecting an object from damage caused by energy contained within incident electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths within a first band of wavelengths, comprising the steps of:

• providing the object with an optical gain medium comprised of a material having a first phase for spontaneously emitting electromagnetic radiation within a second band of wavelengths in response to excitation with electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths within the first band of wavelengths, the first phase further amplifying the emitted electromagnetic radiation by stimulated emission;
• the material further being comprised of a second phase comprising means for scattering the emitted and amplified electromagnetic radiation for increasing the residence time of the electromagnetic radiation within the first phase;
• and
• in response to an irradiation of the object with electromagnetic radiation within the first band of wavelengths, using the optical gain medium to convert a portion of the energy of the electromagnetic radiation within the first band of wavelengths to an emission of electromagnetic radiation within the second band of wavelengths.

An optical system, comprising:

• an enclosure containing a first optical gain medium;
• an optical source for pumping the first optical gain medium with first electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength;
• means for converting a portion of the first electromagnetic radiation to a second wavelength for seeding the first gain medium at the second wavelength;
• wherein
• said converting means includes a second optical gain medium comprised of a material having a first phase for spontaneously emitting electromagnetic radiation having the second wavelength in response to excitation with electromagnetic radiation having the first wavelength, the first phase further amplifying the emitted electromagnetic radiation by stimulated emission;
• the material further being comprised of a second phase comprising means for scattering the emitted and amplified electromagnetic radiation for increasing the residence time of the electromagnetic radiation within the first phase.

A method for broadening and shifting a band of emission wavelengths from an optical emitter, comprising the steps of:

• providing an optical emitter in combination with a plurality of scattering centers that are commingled within a medium that is substantially transparent to the band of emission wavelengths;
• inputting energy into the medium for generating a spontaneous emission from the optical emitter;
• and
• broadening and shifting a band of emission wavelengths from the optical emitter by scattering the emission with the scattering centers.

An optical emitter comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a first thin film disposed on a surface of said substrate;
• wherein
• said first thin film is comprised of a first optical gain medium that is comprised of a first optical emitter in combination with a plurality of scattering centers for emitting, in response to excitation by a pulse of electromagnetic radiation having a first range of wavelengths centered about a first wavelength, a first temporally and spectrally collapsed pulse of electromagnetic radiation having a second range of wavelengths centered about a second wavelength.

A light emitting device comprising:

• an active region having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface;
• a first electrode disposed on said first surface;
• and
• a second electrode disposed on said second surface;
• wherein
• said active region is comprised of a polymer that is responsive to electrical energy input by said first and second electrodes for spontaneously emitting light and for amplifying the emitted light by stimulated emission, said polymer containing scattering centers for scattering the emitted and amplified light for increasing the residence time of the emitted light within said active region.