Laser-pumped compound waveguide lasers and amplifiers

A planar waveguide lasing device comprising:

• a planar waveguide positioned between two optically coated opposing surfaces configured for laser oscillator operation having
• a core layer having two opposite external planar surfaces consisting of a laserable medium with a refractive index n.sub.1, and
• two planar cladding layers with a refractive index n.sub.2 wherein each individual cladding layer is positioned substantially adjacent to an external planar surface of the core layer, and n.sub.1 >n.sub.2
• two outer planar cladding layers with a refractive index n.sub.3 wherein each individual outer planar cladding layer is positioned substantially adjacent to an external planar surface of the relatively inner planar cladding layers, wherein n.sub.2 >n.sub.3 and the difference between n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 is less than the difference between n.sub.2 and n.sub.3 to direct the fundamental mode towards a central region of the waveguide;
• and
• an optical pump radiation source for transmitting pump radiation to the core and inner cladding layers in the absence of an intermediary optic to generate laser radiation output from the planar waveguide.

An optically pumped solid state planar waveguide amplifier comprising:

• a planar medium formed with an upper and a lower surface capable of sustaining a population inversion centrally disposed along an optical axis formed along the direction of the incoming light rays;
• and
• two planar cladding layers each formed with an inner surface and an outer surface wherein the inner surface of each cladding layer is respectively bonded to the upper and the lower surface of the planar medium, and wherein the interface between the inner surfaces of the cladding layers and the planar medium provide a first waveguide by virtue of a first index of refraction discontinuity for spontaneous emission of the medium, and wherein the outer surfaces of the cladding layers provide a second waveguide by virtue of a second index of refraction discontinuity for containing radiation from the optical pump source;
• and wherein the first index of refraction discontinuity is less than the second index of refraction discontinuity to substantially match the gain region of the planare medium with the fundamental lasing mode at the esclusion of undesirable higher order modes.

An optically pumped waveguide laser comprising:

• a pair of reflective mirrors defining an optical cavity with an optical axis;
• a planar waveguide formed with at least one side surface disposed along the optical axis having
• a gain medium layer having an upper surface and a lower surface capable of sustaining a population inversion, and
• two planar cladding layers each formed with an inner surface and an outer surface wherein the inner surface of each cladding layer is respectively bonded to the upper and the lower surface of the gain medium layer, and wherein the interface between the inner surfaces of the cladding layers and the gain medium layer define by virtue of an index of refraction discontinuity a first waveguide for spontaneous emission of the medium, and wherein the outer surfaces of the cladding layers define by virtue of an index of refraction discontinuity a second waveguide for containing radiation within the waveguide;
• and wherein the index of refraction discontinuity for the first waveguide is less than the second index of refraction discontinuity for the second waveguide to substantially match the gain region of the planar medium with the fundamental lasing mode;
• and
• an optical pump source for providing radiation to the waveguide across at least one side surface of the planar waveguide in the absence of an intermediary optical element.