Microlaser cavity and externally controlled, passive switching, solid pulsed microlaser

Microlaser cavity structure including a microlaser cavity, a solid active medium, an input mirror and an output mirror respectively defining an input side and an output side of said microlaser cavity, said structure further including a thin saturable absorber material film directly deposited on the active medium, and means for introducing into said cavity a starting beam, for starting a controlled saturation of the saturable absorber, said starting beam being introduced parallel to an introduction direction into the solid active medium of a pumping beam of said active medium, said means for introducing a starting beam directing said beam in a direction not contained in the plane of the saturable absorber film, towards an area of the saturable absorber on which the pumping beam is incident.

Microlaser incorporating a microlaser cavity comprising a solid active medium, an input mirror and an output mirror respectively defining an input side and an output side of said microlaser cavity, further including a saturable absorber and means for introducing into said cavity a starting beam, for starting a controlled saturation of the saturable absorber, said starting beam being introduced parallel to an introduction direction into the solid active medium of a pumping beam of said active medium, cavity pumping means and means for generating a beam for starting the saturation of the saturable absorber.