US 5,974,060 AGranted

Multi-mode laser oscillator with large intermode spacing

AssigneeRaytheon Company

InventorsRobert W. Byren, Robin A. Reeder

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Abstract

A laser crystal (25) having a relatively short optical length functions as a seed laser (1) and simultaneously establishes the wide separation between longitudinal modes. Pulsed operation causes multiple longitudinal modes to co-exist before competition acts to extinguish modes. The seed laser (1) is isolated from the relatively higher peak power output beam (4). Further, the injection seeded slave resonator (6) optical cavity length is adjusted by mechanical, electromechanical and/or electro-optical component(s) to harmonize the slave resonator optical cavity to the seed laser (1) optical cavity. A number of widely separated longitudinal modes are simultaneously output as a pulsed, high optical quality beam having a broad frequency range, short temporal coherence, and stable simultaneous operation of the several modes.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An optical oscillator, comprising:

a seed laser having a first cavity with a relatively short first optical length which emits a seed beam pulse comprising multiple longitudinal modes having a relatively large intermode spacing determined by said first optical length;
a slave resonator which is injection seeded by said seed beam pulse from said seed laser, said slave resonator having a second cavity with a second optical length substantially greater than the first optical length and an associated inherent intermode spacing that is substantially less than said relatively large intermode spacing, said second optical length being substantially equal to a predetermined integer times said first optical length such that any lasing in said second cavity in response to said seed beam pulse will be substantially confined to said multiple longitudinal modes having said relatively large intermode spacing;
and
a slave resonator laser medium within said second cavity that has an emission lineshape function including a region that is substantially broader than several times said relatively large intermode spacing times said predetermined integer.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.