Laser rods with undoped, flanged end-caps for end-pumped laser applications

A solid state laser, comprising:

• a laserable medium;
• a flanged, undoped end-cap optically contacted to a first end portion of said laserable medium to form a first interface, wherein said optically contacted first interface is heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said first flanged end-cap to form a bond interface;
• a pump laser radiating light, said pump laser light directed at said flanged end-cap;
• and
• a lens duct interposed between said pump laser and said flanged end-cap, said lens duct concentrating said pump laser light.

A solid state laser, comprising:

• a laserable medium with a first end portion and a second end portion;
• a lens duct with an input surface and a output surface, said output surface optically contacted to said first end portion to form a first interface, wherein said optically contacted first interface is heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said lens duct to form a first bond interface;
• a flanged, undoped end-cap optically contacted to said second end portion to form a second interface, wherein said optically contacted second interface is heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said flanged end-cap to form a second bond interface;
• and
• a pump laser radiating light at a first wavelength, said pump laser light directed at said lens duct input surface.

A solid state laser, comprising:

• a laserable medium with a first end portion and a second end portion;
• a first lens duct with an input surface and a output surface, said first lens duct output surface optically contacted to said first end portion to form a first interface, wherein said optically contacted first interface is heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said first lens duct to form a first bond interface;
• a second lens duct with an input surface and a output surface, said second lens duct output surface optically contacted to said second end portion to form a second interface, wherein said optically contacted second interface is heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said second lens duct to form a second bond interface;
• a first pump laser radiating light, said first pump laser light directed at said first lens duct input surface;
• and
• a second pump laser radiating light, said second pump laser light directed at said second lens duct input surface.

A solid state laser, comprising:

• a laserable medium;
• a flanged, end-cap optically contacted to a first end portion of said laserable medium to form a first interface, wherein said optically contacted first interface is heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said first flanged end-cap to form a bond interface, wherein said end-cap has a first dopant concentration, said first dopant concentration different from a second dopant concentration associated with said laserable medium;
• a pump laser radiating light, said pump laser light directed at said flanged end-cap;
• and
• a lens duct interposed between said pump laser and said flanged end-cap, said lens duct concentrating said pump laser light.

A method of fabricating a solid state laser, the method comprising the steps of:

• optically contacting a first flanged, undoped end-cap to a first portion of a laserable medium to form an optically contacted first interface;
• bonding said optically contacted first interface by heating said optically contacted first interface to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said first flanged end-cap;
• optically contacting a second flanged, undoped end-cap to a second portion of said laserable medium to form an optically contacted second interface;
• bonding said optically contacted second interface by heating said optically contacted second interface to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said second flanged end-cap;
• sealing a cooling jacket to said first and second flanged end-caps with at least one sealing member;
• and
• aligning a pump laser with said first flanged end-cap, wherein light emitted by said pump laser irradiates said laserable medium after passing through a lens duct, said lens duct concentrating said pump laser light.

A method of fabricating a solid state laser, the method comprising the steps of:

• optically contacting a first flanged, undoped end-cap to a first portion of a laserable medium to form an optically contacted first interface;
• bonding said optically contacted first interface by heating said optically contacted first interface to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said first flanged end-cap;
• and
• aligning a pump laser with said first flanged end-cap, wherein light emitted by said pump laser irradiates said laserable medium after passing through a lens duct, said lens duct concentrating said pump laser light.

A method of fabricating a solid state laser, the method comprising the steps of:

• optically contacting an output surface of a lens duct to a first portion of a laserable medium to form an optically contacted first interface;
• bonding said optically contacted first interface by heating said optically contacted first interface to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said lens duct;
• optically contacting a first flanged, undoped end-cap to a second portion of said laserable medium to form an optically contacted second interface;
• bonding said optically contacted second interface by heating said optically contacted second interface to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said first flanged end-cap;
• sealing a cooling jacket to said lens duct and said first flanged end-cap with at least one sealing member;
• and
• aligning a pump laser with said lens duct, wherein light emitted by said pump laser irradiates said laserable medium after being concentrated by said lens duct.

A method of fabricating a solid state laser, the method comprising the steps of:

• optically contacting a first end-cap to a first portion of a laserable medium to form an optically contacted first interface;
• bonding said optically contacted first interface by heating said optically contacted first interface to a temperature below the melting temperature of said laserable medium and said first end-cap;
• grinding and polishing said end-cap to form a flanged contour;
• and
• aligning a pump laser with said first flanged end-cap, wherein light emitted by said pump laser irradiates said laserable medium after passing through a lens duct, said lens duct concentrating said pump laser light.