US 5,479,431 AGranted

Solid-state laser with active etalon and method therefor

AssigneeSpectra-Physics Laserplane, Inc.

InventorsMark D. Sobottke, Daniel R. Klemer

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Abstract

An active etalon comprising a laser gain chip interposed between an input mirror and an etalon end mirror is provided. In an intracavity frequency-doubled solid-state laser, a pump source emits pump radiation which passes through the input mirror and into the laser gain chip. The laser gain chip lases in response to the pump radiation to produce fundamental laser light. The etalon end mirror reflects a portion of the fundamental laser light back into the laser gain chip and transmits the remaining portion of the fundamental laser light into the laser cavity. The input mirror reflects substantially all of the fundamental laser light into the laser gain chip. The portion of the fundamental laser light which passes through the etalon end mirror may be frequency doubled by a frequency doubler chip and a portion thereof transmitted through the front end of the laser cavity to form the output laser beam.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A solid-state laser for generating a laser beam comprising:

a laser cavity assembly for defining a laser cavity including a mirrored surface forming a front end of said laser cavity;
a pump source for generating pump radiation and for transmitting said pump radiation into said laser cavity;
a laser gain chip positioned in said laser cavity for generating fundamental laser light in response to said pump radiation;
an input reflector positioned adjacent said laser gain chip for receiving said pump radiation, for transmitting said pump radiation into said laser gain chip and for reflecting said fundamental laser light into said laser gain chip;
an output reflector positioned adjacent said laser gain chip for reflecting a portion of said fundamental laser light into said laser gain chip and for transmitting the remaining portion of said fundamental laser light;
and
a frequency multiplier for changing the frequency of said fundamental laser light which is transmitted through said output reflector to produce harmonic laser light, a portion of said harmonic laser light passing through said mirrored surface to form said laser beam,
wherein said laser gain chip, said input reflector and said output reflector form an active etalon which provides for improved frequency filtering and improved frequency and polarization stability.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.