Ring geometry diode laser arrays and methods
AssigneeUniversity of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsJun Dong, Michael Bass
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, configurations and methods of using laser diodes in ring-shaped arrays placed a distance away from thin disk solid-state laser gain media, which provide uniformly absorbed pump power distribution with high absorption efficiency. This results in major improvements in the scalability and ruggedness of such lasers and disk laser amplifiers. Use of the diode laser pump configurations of the invention results in compact, robust and scalable lasers that produce high quality, high power outputs.
Claims21
A diode laser array configuration comprising:
- an array of diode bars placed on a washer shaped substrate which allows laser light to reach a disk-shaped gain medium located below a central hole in the washer shaped substrate wherein the array of diode bars is on an inside portion of a conical ring thereby compensating for slow axis spread.
A method of modifying outputs of a high average power disk laser comprising the steps of:
- (a) operating said disk laser with an array of diode bars placed on a washer shaped substrate which allows laser light to reach the disk-shaped gain medium located below a central hole in the washer shaped substrate wherein the array of diode bars is inside a conical ring that allows laser light to reach the disk-shaped gain medium through the central hole, thereby compensating for slow axis spread;
- and
- (b) cooling said diode array from a back surface portion whereby said disk laser provides a more efficient disk laser pump source which is scalable to higher powers and is of increased ruggedness.
A method of providing uniformly absorbed pump power distribution with high absorption efficiency of lasers and disk laser amplifiers comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an array of diode bars on a washer shaped substrate wherein the array of diode bars is inside a conical ring thereby compensating for the slow axis spread problem;
- (b) focusing laser light of a portion of the diode bars to allow emitted light to reach a disk-shaped gain medium located below a central hole of the substrate;
- and
- (c) cooling the array of diode bars from its back surface.
A method for providing an efficient disk laser pump source that is scalable to higher powers and is of increased ruggedness comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an array of diode bars on a washer shaped substrate;
- (b) focusing light emission from the diode bars to a disk shaped gain medium located approximately 15 centimeters (cm) below a central hole of the substrate;
- and
- (c) cooling the array of diode bars.
A high power laser array system comprising:
- a ring-shaped array of approximately 132 diode bars that allow laser light to reach a disk-shaped gain medium located approximately 15 centimeters (cm) below a central hole in the ring shaped array having an inner radius of approximately 40 millimeters (mm) and an outer radius of approximately 56 millimeters (mm), wherein the laser array has a total power of approximately 5280 watts (W).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.