Tube solid-state laser
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorMichael S. Savich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved tube solid-state laser (SSL) is provided utilizing diode pumping, microchannel cooling, optics, and/or new coating and bonding processes. In one example, an amplifier module for the SSL includes a tube of laser gain material, a first substrate and a second substrate including microchannels adjacent an interior and exterior surface of the tube, respectively, and a plurality of diode bars arranged exterior to the second substrate. Advantageously, thermal lensing effects, birefringence, bifocussing, and alignment problems associated with typical tube SSLs are eliminated or reduced while providing high beam quality and high average power levels.
Claims14
An amplifier module for a solid-state laser, the amplifier module comprising:
- a tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the tube including two laser gain elements separated by a toric quartz rotator which is attached between two optically transparent endcaps attached to respective ends of the two laser gain elements;
- a first substrate adjacent the interior surface of the tube, the first substrate including a first plurality of microchannels;
- a second substrate adjacent the exterior surface of the tube, the second substrate including a second plurality of microchannels;
- and
- a plurality of diode bars arranged exterior to the second substrate and configured to provide optical pump radiation to the laser gain elements.
A method of lasing, comprising:
- providing an amplifier module including:
- a tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the tube including two laser gain elements separated by a toric quartz rotator which is attached between two optically transparent endcaps attached to respective ends of the two laser gain elements;
- a first substrate adjacent the interior surface of the tube, the first substrate including a first plurality of microchannels;
- a second substrate adjacent the exterior surface of the tube, the second substrate including a second plurality of microchannels;
- and
- a plurality of diode bars arranged exterior to the second substrate;
- providing pump radiation from the plurality of diode bars to the laser gain elements of the amplifier module;
- and
- flowing a coolant through the first and second plurality of microchannels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.