Abstract: Disclosed is an optical control device which has a LiNbO3 or LiTaO3 crystalline substrate having electrooptic effect; a channel-type optical waveguide which is formed in the crystalline substrate by doping metal; an optically transparent film layer formed on the crystalline substrate; and electrodes formed on the optically transparent film layer; wherein the crystalline substrate has a surface except a region which waveguided-light through the channel-type optical waveguide propagates or an entire surface under which a layer doped by metal is formed.

Abstract: A microwave excited laser using a sealed CO2 gas mixture for the laser medium. The laser has means for producing a uniform discharge throughout the length of the laser by using a plurality of actuators that adjust the electrical field along a deformable waveguide. The microwave waveguides are dimensioned so that the electric field is operating at or just above cut-off. A terminating cavity maintains gas discharge throughout the full length of the laser.

Abstract: The resonator of the laser system employs a pair of anamorphic mirrors in combination with a pair of anamorphic lenses. The lenses are positioned between the mirrors on opposing ends of a laser resonator cavity. In one embodiment, both the mirrors and lenses have cylindrical cross-sections with the lenses oriented at ninety degrees from the mirrors. In use, a laser pulse is generated within a lasing cavity between the lenses and mirrors. The anamorphic configuration of the lenses and mirrors operates to minimize any differences between the vertical and horizontal divergence of the beam. Preferably, the beam consists of a sequence of individual pulses with the lenses and mirrors configured to ensure that differences in divergence are substantially eliminated after a selected number of laser pulse bounces. Method and apparatus embodiments are described herein.

Abstract: A laser mode control system for suppressing anti-symmetric resonance modes of a beam of radiation in a laser resonator cavity. The system includes a main resonator cavity in which a beam of radiation having symmetric and anti-symmetric resonance modes propagates. The main resonator cavity has at least one exit plane at a first end of the cavity through which the propagating beam of radiation passes. The system further includes an external cavity located outside of the main resonator cavity and adjacent to the exit plane. The external cavity includes a mirror for reflecting the beam of radiation passing through the exit plane and for flipping a mode profile associated with the beam of radiation upon the beam of radiation being reflected from the mirror. The external cavity also includes a partially transmissive medium between the mirror and the main resonator cavity for introducing losses to the beam of radiation in the external cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gas laser utilizing high frequency discharge excitation in the area of sonic or supersonic/subsonic transfer gas flow. The laser uses various types of gases and mixtures of gases as the active medium and provides for pre-ionization of the gaseous medium before using high frequency discharge excitation. The gas is supplied into a receiver, and has downstream therefrom a supersonic nozzle for acceleration of the active gaseous flow to high subsonic or supersonic speeds in order to provide intensive dynamic cooling of the active gas medium. The gas is excited using high frequency discharge excitation in the critical area of the supersonic nozzle or downstream therefrom. The high frequency discharge and excitation can also occur within the optical resonator region which is located within the supersonic area of the nozzle. The present invention provides compact, efficient and super-powerful continuous, quasi-continuous and pulse laser systems with wavelengths from 0.3 mkm to 10.

Abstract: This invention aims at providing an optical waveguide device capable of stably operating for an extended period of time. The optical waveguide device comprises an optical waveguide path formed inside a surface of an electro-optical substrate, a buffer layer formed on the optical waveguide path, and a driving electrode for impressing an electric field so as to change a refractive index of the optical waveguide path, wherein the buffer layer is made of a transparent dielectric or insulator of a mixture between silicon dioxide and an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of the metal elements of the Groups III to VIII, Ib and IIb of the Periodic Table and semiconductor elements other than silicon, or a transparent dielectric or insulator of an oxide between silicon and at least one of the metal elements and semiconductor elements described above.

Abstract: An upconversion fiber laser uses a pump source which may be another fiber laser, such as a high power, diode-laser-pumped, fiber laser. The upconversion fiber laser includes an optical fiber whose core region is doped with an active lasing ionic species capable when optically pumped of undergoing upconversion excitation, such as certain rare earth ionic species, and which is embedded in a cladding of the optical fiber. Use of a fiber pump laser can improve coupling of pump light into the optical fiber, thereby achieving higher pump intensities in the core region and improved upconversion efficiency. The upconversion fiber laser's resonant laser cavity is defined by feedback means which can include at least one reflective grating formed in the optical fiber, as well as a reflective end face of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A laser system includes an apparatus having a primary laser resonator having a laser medium therein for producing a laser beam of a first wavelength and a second laser resonator optically connected to the primary resonator to allow a portion of the laser energy from the primary laser resonator to pass into the secondary laser resonator. An optical parametric oscillator is located intracavity of the secondary laser resonator and includes a nonlinear crystal for producing a laser beam of a second wavelength therefrom. A coherent beam output is coupled to the optical parametric oscillator for producing an output beam of predetermined wavelength of the second wavelength while blocking the output of the laser beam of the first wavelength so that a dual resonator combines a secondary laser cavity and an optical parametric oscillator to produce a predetermined output wavelength.

Abstract: A laser oscillator has a casing 10. A cooling medium is supplied from an inlet port 134 to a heat exchanger 8 via a pipe 35, and discharged form it via a pipe 37 and an outlet port 136. The ports 134 and 136 are symmetrically positioned relative to a center line of the casing when seen from upward. An inlet port 340 and an outlet port 342 have a similar positional relation ship thereto.

Abstract: The invention provides a portable compact laser system that emits a frequency-doubled green laser beam, which system is thermoelectrically cooled in air and has a power output of up to 1 watt or more. The portable laser system of the invention includes a diode-pumped laser crystal, which emits light into a folded resonator cavity defined by such crystal, a turning mirror and an end mirror, with preferably an SHG crystal between the mirrors, for frequency-doubling IR light to green light and outcoupling the latter through the turning mirror. Such laser system packages into a volume of less than 1 cubic foot, uses solid state cooling technology and requires only single phase, 115 VAC prime power. The portable laser of the invention is small enough and light enough to be hand-carried aboard commercial aircraft by, eg. an eye surgeon and powerful enough to be used in eye surgery.

Abstract: A laser beam generator includes first and second mirrors, a laser light source, a laser medium, a non-linear optical crystal element and a birefringent element. The laser light source generates a pumping light beam. The laser medium, arranged between the first and second mirrors, is irradiated with the pumping light beam via one of the mirrors to generate a fundamental laser beam based on the pumping light beam. The non-linear optical crystal element is arranged between the first and second mirrors to generate a second harmonic laser beam under the type II phase matching as the fundamental laser beam from the laser medium is passed through it in resonant oscillation.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a wide-band optical fiber coupler whose light-branching ratio is independent of the wavelength of light rays to be transmitted therethrough as well as a method for preparing the wide-band optical fiber coupler. When an optical fiber 1 having zero-dispersion at 1.55 .mu.m band and an optical fiber 2 having zero-dispersion at 1.3 .mu.m band are fused and drawn to form a coupled portion 3, a light beam 15 is incident upon the optical fiber 2 and the intensity of the light beam outgoing through either of these optical fibers 2 or 1 is measured to detect the light-branching ratio observed at the coupled portion 3. The drawing operation is interrupted at an instance when the detected light-branching ratio falls within the range of 50.+-.5%.

Abstract: A multiposition optical connector 2 and a mating header 4 are disclosed. The connector includes a plurality of ferrules 10 for terminating individual plastic optical fiber cables 6. An alignment fixture 100 is used to precisely align each ferrule relative to the other ferrules and relative to peripheral mating surface protrusions 52 on a molded alignment plate 12. The ferrules are ultrasonically bonded to the alignment plate. True positioning for multiple fibers located in the multiposition connector relative to active optoelectronic devices 90 located in the header can be achieved when the connector and the header are mated. A previously assembled harness assembly using the optical connector 2 and a hybrid electrical and optical connector 202 is suited for use in making multiple connections to products, such as automobiles, in which the final assembly is completed in an assembly line.

Abstract: A second harmonic generation apparatus provides a polarization element transmitting only light polarized in an extra-ordinary axis direction on the proceeding path of a second harmonic emitted from a resonator. The light polarized in the extra-ordinary axis direction is transmitted to a beam splitter, and a part of the polarized light is fed back to a feedback circuit, so that the temperature of a non-linear birefringent crystalline element inside resonator can be stably controlled and the output second harmonic can be stably produced.

Abstract: A light expanding system for converting a light beam generated from a point-like light source into a collimated linear or planar light beam is disclosed herein. According to an embodiment of the invention, a system for producing a linear light beam includes a beam collector and a light pipe adjacent to which a multiplicity of specially configured microprisms are located. The light expanding system according to this embodiment is suitable for use in devices utilizing a linear light beam, such as a scanner. According to another embodiment of the invention, a system for producing a planar light beam includes, in addition to the beam collector and light pipe described above, an additional light pipe with adjacent microprisms. The light expanding system according to this embodiment of the invention can be used, for example, in displays, road signs, medical research equipment, instrument meters or jewelry; to light pictures or art work; or as part of a see-through lighting system for use in dentistry and surgery.

Abstract: In a dye laser system, a porous bed filter is loaded with dye prior to operation of the system. With repeated firings, the dye solution is filtered by the porous bed filter to remove by-products of the laser process. Solute concentration is monitored and dye and additives removed by the filter are replenished by a metering pump. Precise temperature control assures consistent filtering of dye by the filter for more consistent color and energy output. To control the metering pump, the differential output of a two-channel absorption detector is digitized. The digitized signal is loaded into a counter which drives the metering pump. The useful lifetime of the dye solution is enhanced by incorporating pH buffers in the solution.

Abstract: An optical device which comprises at least one first passive or active element and an integrated grating arrangement. The device furthermore comprises a tuning device for controlling and changing the angle of incidence of a beam incident to the grating arrangement. The tuning devices comprises a variable index prism arranged between said first active or passive element and the grating arrangement.

Abstract: An ultrafast laser uses a Nd-doped phosphate laser glass characterized by a particularly broad emission bandwidth to generate the shortest possible output pulses. The laser glass is composed primarily of P.sub.2 O.sub.5, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and MgO, and possesses physical and thermal properties that are compatible with standard melting and manufacturing methods. The broad bandwidth laser glass can be used in modelocked oscillators as well as in amplifier modules.

Abstract: An excimer laser beam irradiation apparatus capable of processing a workpiece optimally with an excimer irradiation beam even when intensity distribution of the excimer laser beam undergone multiple reflections is non-uniform. A patterning mask has light-transmissive portions for allowing the excimer laser beam to pass through and a reflecting layer for reflecting it. A high reflectivity mirror disposed in opposition to the reflecting layer reflects the excimer laser beam reflected from the reflecting layer toward the patterning mask. An imaging lens images a pattern of the excimer laser beam transmitted through the patterning mask onto a workpiece for irradiation thereof. A workpiece moving mechanism and a mask moving mechanism move the workpiece and the mask moving mechanism, respectively.

Abstract: A pair of elongated, parallel electrodes (91,92) are insulatively mounted within a tubular housing (111) filled with a laser gas mixture between an arrangement of reflective optical elements (120,150) sealingly mounted at each end of the housing. The electrodes form a rectangular gas discharge area (40) the minimum spacing (a) between which is the diameter of the fundamental free-space mode of the stable, laser resonator (17) formed in the gap when the electrodes are rf excited (13). A multi-pass optical configuration (30,50) uses the full width (b) of the active medium to produce a high power, compact laser (10,200). Deformable support rings (97) are compressed to push the electrodes apart against small cylindrical spacers (99) abutting the inner walls of the housing to maintain the electrodes' spatial relationship. The rf feeds (103) sealingly (112) connected to the electrodes through the housing Without disturbing the uniform distribution of forces on the electrodes.