Dual media laser with mode locking
AssigneeUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
InventorLi Yan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a two laser media, Nd:phosphate glass and Nd:YLF are combined into a single laser. Generally, one broad band inhomogeneously broadened material and one narrow band homogeneously broadened material, with the two materials having overlapping center wavelengths are suitable.) The phase coherence property of Nd:YLF facilitates the initial formation of a coherent pulse. The broadband property of Nd:phosphate glass supports the generation of ultrashort laser pulse. Thus, this mode-locked hybrid Nd laser generates ultrashort coherent pulses more easily and reliably.
Claims18
A laser comprising:
- a laser cavity;
- a first laser material located in said laser cavity;
- a second laser material located in said laser cavity so that said second laser material can be lased with said first laser material;
- said second laser material having different material properties than said first laser material, but having overlapping lasing wavelengths;
- and
- means for simultaneously pumping said first and said second laser materials so that said laser materials are lased together.
A method for generating laser pulses using two or more laser media in a laser, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one broad band laser medium and one narrow band laser medium in a single laser resonator with the two media having overlapping lasing wavelengths;
- providing a means for simultaneously pumping said laser media;
- simultaneously pumping said laser media;
- providing a means for mode locking the laser;
- and
- using said means for mode locking the laser, with the narrow band laser medium providing control of pulse coherence and the broad band laser medium providing support of broad bandwidth.
A mode locked laser which generates ultra short pulses comprising:
- a laser resonator having a cavity;
- a plurality of laser media that have different lasing properties, at least two of said laser media having partial overlapping bands, wherein a first laser media is a broad band, inhomogeneously broadened material and a second laser media is a narrow band, homogeneously broadened material;
- a means for mode locking said laser;
- and
- a means for simultaneously pumping said laser media so that said laser media are lased together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.