Abstract: A planar waveguide laser crystal assembly includes an optical bench and a laser crystal mount mounted on the optical bench. The laser crystal mount includes an upper housing having an interior horizontal surface and an exterior horizontal, a lower housing coupled to the upper housing and having an interior horizontal surface and an exterior horizontal surface, and a cavity defined between the interior horizontal surfaces of the upper and lower housings. A laser crystal is mounted in the cavity of the laser crystal mount. Each of the exterior horizontal surfaces of the upper and lower housings is oriented parallel to a length of the laser crystal. The laser crystal assembly further includes a heat dissipating structure thermally coupled to at least one of the exterior horizontal surfaces of the upper and lower housings to dissipate heat transferred from the laser crystal mount.

Abstract: A birefringent optical filter and associated method are described which demonstrate improved performance for both fixed and tunable filter configurations. One exemplary embodiment involves an initial filter configuration, having an output polarizer, that exhibits an initial spectral filter response having an undesired transmission feature and a desired transmission feature. An additional polarizer follows the output polarizer and an adjustable retarder is disposed directly between the output polarizer and the additional polarizer to produce an overall spectral filter response that eliminates the undesired transmission feature, while passing the desired transmission feature. Another exemplary embodiment uses at least one reflective polarizer for passing light along the filter optical path, which light is characterized by a selected polarization, and for reflecting a rejected light that is characterized by a different polarization such that the rejected light is directed out of the optical path.

Abstract: A polarimeter for receiving input electromagnetic radiation characterized by a polarization state and for determining the polarization state. The polarimeter includes a refractive arrangement for refracting the input electromagnetic radiation so as to provide a spatial pattern corresponding to the polarization state, and an image analysis arrangement for receiving the spatial pattern, producing an electronic image of the spatial pattern, and for determining the polarization state of the input electromagnetic radiation according to the electronic image of the spatial pattern.