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US 6,297,179 B1Granted
Transition-metal, glass-ceramic gain media
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsGeorge H. Beall, Nicholas F. Borrelli, Eric J. Mozdy, Linda R. Pinckney
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AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsGeorge H. Beall, Nicholas F. Borrelli, Eric J. Mozdy, Linda R. Pinckney
Estimating the term…
A gain medium for use in optical amplifiers or laser oscillators is disclosed. The gain medium includes a transition-metal doped glass-ceramic material having a crystal phase and a glass phase. The crystal phase is formed in situ in the glass phase, with the transition metal ions preferentially partitioning into the crystals from the glass phase. The crystals so formed have a size of less than 50 nm, and the transition metal ions within them are capable of lasing at a wavelength within the range of about 900 to 3000 nm. Also disclosed are amplifier and laser oscillator configurations, where the glass-ceramic gain medium is applied in a variety of configurations. Also disclosed is a method of amplifying a signal of light wherein the glass-ceramic gain medium is pumped with light energy so as to excite the transition metal ions, and the signal of light is transmitted through the gain medium while the transition metal ions are excited, whereby the signal of light is amplified. Also disclosed is a method of producing laser oscillation wherein the glass-ceramic gain medium is included in a laser cavity, pumped with optical energy to excite the transition metal ions, and the resulting radiation is forced to oscillate by the use of reflecting surfaces for feedback.
A gain medium for use in optical amplifiers or laser oscillators, comprising a transition-metal-doped glass-ceramic material with a passive loss less than 200 dB/m, said glass-ceramic material comprising a crystal phase and a glass phase, said crystal phase, with crystals having a size of less than about 50 nm, is formed in situ and uniformly distributed in said glass phase, and transition metal ions are doped within said crystals and are capable of lasing at a wavelength within a range of about 900 nm to about 1700 nm.
An optical signal device comprising:
A method of generating a signal of light by laser radiation, said method comprises the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.