US 6,188,704 B1 · Diode-pumped laser drive

Abstract

This invention relates to a new diode pumped solid state laser which has a miniature Q-switching device in the cavity. Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF or Nd:YVO4 are useful solid state laser materials for Q-switching. A compact thermo-electric (TE)cooled diode laser unit is used as a pump source, and high-speed switching of the drive current driver is provided for the precise pump energy control. By using the variable high-speed switching pump source, the energy of each Q-switched output pulse from the laser can be controlled precisely and the usual “giant pulse” from the Q-switch can be eliminated. Also, the pulse energy can be controlled precisely independent of the repetition rate or switching speed of the Q-switch without using other feedback components. The Q-switch is synchronized to open at the end of each diode pump pulse.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An apparatus for controlling pulse energy in a laser system including a resonant cavity, a gain medium within the cavity, a cavity switch, and a diode pump, comprising:

a diode pump current driver connected with the diode pump for controlling energy of a drive pulse delivered to the diode pump according to an energy control signal;
a processor connected with said diode pump current driver, said processor operating to trigger the cavity switch substantially in synchronism with said drive pulse;
and
said diode pump current driver generates a plurality of said drive pulses having one of a first and second level, said first level corresponding approximately to a threshold value of the gain medium and said second level being greater than said first level.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Diode-pumped laser drive

Life of this patent

Diode-pumped laser drive

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13