Composite solid state lasers of improved efficiency and beam quality
OwnerHelmuth E. Meissner, John M. McMahoninventors
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Abstract
This invention relates to solid state lasers and more particularly to laserable rods, slabs or other configurations where thermal effects and/or ground state absorption cause a degradation in lasing efficiency and/or beam quality. The improvement in operating efficiency is achieved by using a composite of lasing and non-lasing sections. The composite is formed using diffusion bonding techniques.
Claims14
A solid, optically pumped laser device comprising:
- a composite configuration shaped as a cylindrical rod including an ionic lasing medium containing one or more paramagnetic ions, said lasing medium having a first optically flat end face and a second optically flat end face, said first end face diffusion bonded to a first non-lasing ionic medium to form a first interface and said second end face diffusion bonded to a second non-lasing ionic medium to form a second interface, wherein said first and second interfaces are of optical quality and permanently bonded using an adhesive-free diffusion bonding technique;
- optical pumping means for transmitting optical radiation into said lasing medium, said optical radiation sufficient to initiate lasing;
- and
- means for passing coherent electromagnetic radiation through said cylindrical rod to said first and second interfaces.
A solid, optically pumped laser device comprising:
- a composite configuration shaped as a laser slab of essentially rectangular cross section including an ionic lasing medium containing one or more paramagnetic ions, said lasing medium having a first optically flat face and a second optically flat face, said first face diffusion bonded to a first non-lasing ionic medium forming a first essentially rectangular interface and said second face diffusion bonded to a second non-lasing ionic medium forming a second essentially rectangular interface, wherein said first and second interfaces are of optical quality and permanently bonded using an adhesive-free diffusion bonding technique;
- optical pumping means for transmitting optical radiation into said lasing medium, said optical radiation sufficient to initiate lasing;
- and
- means for passing coherent electromagnetic radiation through said non-lasing media of said composite laser slab.
A solid, optically pumped laser device comprising an ionic lasing medium containing at least one paramagnetic ion, with two optically flat faces, to which at least one non-lasing ionic medium has been attached by diffusion bonding, forming a composite construction with one or more interfaces which are of optical quality and permanently bonded using an adhesive-free diffusion bonding technique;
- optical pumping means for transmitting optical radiation across at least one of said non-lasing media to said ionic lasing medium, said optical radiation sufficient to initiate lasing;
- and means of passing coherent electromagnetic radiation through said composite construction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.