Abstract: A diode pumped solid state laser using a laser diode bar or a stack of bars with cylindrical lenses is used to end pump a rectangular cross section solid state laser slab. The combination of lenses and polished slab surfaces provides overlap of the pump light with the laser mode combined with sufficient length of material to absorb all of the pump light to produce a compact, efficient laser source.

Abstract: A diode-pumped microlaser in accordance with the present invention includes a diode pump, a first lens, a second lens and a laser glass. The diode pump generates an input pump beam. The first lens and second lens manipulate the pump beam by collimating the pump beam in focal planes that are perpendicular to each other. The laser glass receives the manipulated pump beam from the second lens and converts the pump beam into a laser beam. The laser glass is further doped with predetermined amounts by weight of Erbium and Ytterbium to ensure that an output laser beam with an eyesafe wavelength is generated. The microlaser further includes a passive Q-switch made of a Cobalt-spinel material, which receives the output laser beam and generates laser pulses using passive switching techniques, independent of any external temperature control. This configuration allows the microlaser to function as a laser rangefinder over extended temperature ranges in a manner that is eyesafe to the user.

Abstract: A diode-pumped microlaser in accordance with the present invention includes a diode pump, a first lens, a second lens and a laser glass. The diode pump generates an input pump beam. The first lens and second lens manipulate the pump beam by collimating the pump beam in focal planes that are perpendicular to each other. The laser glass receives the manipulated pump beam from the second lens and converts the pump beam into a laser beam. The laser glass is further doped with predetermined amounts by weight of Erbium and Ytterbium to ensure that an output laser beam with an eyesafe wavelength is generated. The microlaser further includes a passive Q-switch made of a Cobalt-spinel material, which receives the output laser beam and generates laser pulses using passive switching techniques, independent of any external temperature control. This configuration allows the microlaser to function as a laser rangefinder over extended temperature ranges in a manner that is eyesafe to the user.

Abstract: A diode pumped solid state laser using a laser diode bar or a stack of bars with cylindrical lenses is used to end pump a rectangular cross section solid state laser slab. The combination of lenses and polished slab surfaces provides overlap of the pump light with the laser mode combined with sufficient length of material to absorb all of the pump light to produce a compact, efficient laser source.

Abstract: A multiple output wavelength laser and technique for generating multiple put laser wavelengths from a solid state lasing material. The solid state material must be able to lase at multiple nonoverlapping transitions such that there are no losses due to gain competition or divided output power.

Abstract: The invention provides an array wherein thin laser diodes are mounted with heir broad surfaces in intimate contact with a planar heat input surface of a heat sink; the laser radiation emerges from two opposite ends of the diodes parallel to the heat input surface, to provide more efficient lasing and faster uniform dissipation of heat; and elongated inverted V-shaped cross-section mirrors redirect the radiation into a single combined beam substantially normal to the heat input surface.

Abstract: A contact lens is made either with a laser-reflecting or absorbing layer edded in a transparent optical lens material, or formed as a layer on the convex side of such a material. The layer may be a Fabry-Perot reflector or a thin-film or holographically formed reflective or absorptive interference filter, or an absorbing layer.

Abstract: A monolithic laser optical cavity structure and method of forming by use of planar photolithographic and crystal regrowth techniques. An original growth multilayer double heterostructure laser structure is grown by LPE on a N+-GaAs substrate. V-grooves are then etched in the epitaxial layers down through the optical cavity by photolithographic techniques. GaAlAs is grown in the V-grooves by crystal regrowth techniques up to the original surface of the laser wafer thus isolating the lasers from each other. The lasers are then separated to form laser arrays.