High-power external-cavity optically-pumped semiconductor lasers

A laser comprising:

• first and second laser-resonators each thereof having a resonator axis, said first laser-resonator formed between first and second mirrors, and said second laser resonator formed between said first mirror and a third mirror, and said first and second laser-resonators arranged with a portion of the resonator axes of each combined on a coaxial path;
• said first resonator including an OPS-structure arranged outside said coaxial path, said OPS-structure having a surface-emitting gain-structure surmounting a mirror structure, said gain-structure including a plurality of active layers having pump-light-absorbing layers therebetween, said active layers having a composition selected to provide emission of electromagnetic radiation at a predetermined fundamental-wavelength when pump-light is incident on said gain-structure;
• an optical arrangement for delivering said pump-light to said gain-structure, thereby causing fundamental laser-radiation having said fundamental-wavelength to oscillate in said first laser-resonator;
• a first optically-nonlinear crystal located in said coaxial path of said first and second laser-resonators and arranged for frequency-doubling said fundamental laser-radiation thereby providing frequency-doubled radiation having a wavelength one-half of said fundamental-wavelength;
• said second laser-resonator arranged cooperative with said first laser-resonator to cause said frequency-doubled radiation and said fundamental laser-radiation to oscillate together along said coaxial path in a manner which causes amplification of said frequency-doubled radiation;
• and
• a second optically-nonlinear crystal located in said coaxial path and arranged for mixing said fundamental laser-radiation and said amplified frequency-doubled radiation, thereby generating frequency-tripled radiation having a wavelength one-third of said fundamental-wavelength.

A laser comprising:

• first and second laser-resonators each thereof having a resonator axis, said first laser-resonator formed between first and second mirrors, and said second laser resonator formed between third and fourth mirrors, and said first and second laser-resonators arranged with a portion of the resonator axes of each combined on a coaxial path;
• said first resonator including an OPS-structure arranged outside said coaxial path, said OPS-structure having a surface-emitting gain-structure, said gain-structure including a plurality of active layers having pump-light-absorbing layers therebetween, said active layers having a composition selected to provide emission of electromagnetic radiation at a predetermined fundamental-wavelength when pump-light is incident on said gain-structure;
• an optical arrangement for delivering said pump-light to said gain-structure, thereby causing fundamental laser-radiation having said fundamental-wavelength to oscillate in said first laser-resonator;
• a first optically-nonlinear crystal located in said coaxial path of said first and second laser-resonators and arranged for frequency-doubling said fundamental laser-radiation thereby providing frequency-doubled radiation having a wavelength one-half of said fundamental-wavelength;
• said second laser-resonator arranged cooperative with said first laser-resonator to cause said frequency-doubled radiation and said fundamental laser-radiation to oscillate together along said coaxial path in a manner which causes amplification of said frequency doubled-radiation;
• and
• a second optically-nonlinear crystal located in said second resonator outside of said coaxial path and arranged for doubling the frequency of said amplified frequency-doubled radiation, thereby generating frequency-quadrupled radiation having a wavelength one-quarter of said fundamental-wavelength.