Optimized laser energy conversion through automatic mode matched pumping

A method of producing a laser beam from a semiconductor laser comprising the steps of:

• a) forming a semiconductor quantum-well structure over a first face of a body of material having opposing first and second faces said body being relatively thick as compared to said quantum-well structure;
• b) forming a first mirror on said quantum-well structure;
• and
• c) forming a second mirror on said second face of said body, said first and second mirrors defining a resonant cavity therebetween;
• d) optically pumping said cavity in a longitudinal direction with pump energy of a power, said pump energy heating a region within a first diameter proximal to said quantum-well structure, forming a thermal lens which produces a stable transverse mode resonator for concentrating a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter;
• and
• e) setting the power of said pump energy such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

A method of producing laser light from a semiconductor laser system comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a semiconductor quantum-well structure on a first face of a body of material having opposed first and second faces, said body and said quantum-well structure each having a temperature variant index of refraction;
• b) providing a first mirror on said quantum-well structure;
• c) providing a second mirror on said second face of said body, said first and second mirrors defining a resonant cavity therebetween of length L;
• and
• d) pumping said quantum-well structure with pump energy for producing laser gain in said quantum-well structure, said laser gain causing a laser beam of wavelength .lambda. to propagate within said cavity, said energy being absorbed by said quantum-well structure thereby raising the temperature of a region proximal to said quantum-well structure by an amount .DELTA.T, said region being of diameter D.sub.th and thickness h.sub.th, forming a thermal lens within said resonant cavity having an effective radius of curvature R which is a function of said diameter D.sub.th, said thickness h.sub.th, and said rise in temperature .DELTA.T of said region, said thermal lens concentrating said laser beam substantially within a diameter D, said diameter of laser beam concentration D being substantially equivalent to said diameter of said heated region D.sub.th, said diameter D being a function of said thermal lens radius of curvature R, said length of said cavity L, and said wavelength .lambda. of said laser beam, said cavity being of sufficient length L such that a stable transverse mode of said laser beam is produced.

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of:

• a) disposing an active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces;
• b) pumping the active medium through one of said surfaces with a pump beam of a first diameter and of a power, said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens;
• said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam;
• and
• c) setting said pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

A laser system comprising:

• a) an active medium disposed between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces;
• and
• b) a pump source for pumping said active medium through one of said reflective surfaces with a pump beam;
• said pump beam having a power and being concentrated within a first diameter;
• said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens;
• said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam;
• said pump beam being set such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of:

• a) disposing a semiconductor active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces;
• b) pumping the active medium through one of said surfaces with a pump beam of a first diameter and of a power, said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens;
• said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam;
• and
• c) setting said pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of:

• a) disposing an active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces;
• b) pumping an array of laterally spaced segments of the active medium through one of said surfaces with a corresponding array of pump beams, each pump beam being of a first diameter and of a power, each pump beam heating a region of said segment of said active medium, forming an array of positive thermal lenses;
• each lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping, each laser beam being confined within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam;
• and
• c) setting each pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

A laser system comprising:

• a semiconductor active medium disposed between two opposed reflective surfaces;
• and
• a pump source for pumping said active medium through one of said reflective surfaces with a pump beam;
• said pump beam having a power and being concentrated within a first diameter;
• said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens;
• said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam;
• said pump beam being set such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

A laser system comprising:

• an active medium disposed between two opposed reflective surfaces;
• and
• an array of pump sources for pumping a corresponding array of laterally spaced segments of said active medium through one of said reflective surfaces with an array of pump beams;
• each pump beam having a power and being concentrated within a first diameter;
• each pump beam heating a region of said segment of said active medium, forming an array of positive thermal lenses;
• each lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping, each laser beam being confined within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam;
• each pump beam being set such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.