Abstract: This invention relates to the modification of lasing medium surfaces, such as crystals, to reduce the internal reflections that contribute to amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) losses. A laser ablation treatment involves focusing an optical irradiation means on a target surface having desired ablation pattern and ablating the target surface according to the selected ablation pattern. A cross-hatch pattern on the target surface is secured by the target surface being mounted onto a precision motor driven translation stage and stepped throughout the desired ablation pattern. The optical irradiation means are oriented initially at 45.degree. to the target surface length and subsequently rotated by 90.degree..

Abstract: A modular slab assembly for a face-pumped laser includes a slab module having top and bottom reflector segments, with first and second inner end caps joined thereto. A plurality of alignment keys are disposed between the inner end caps and the reflector segments for maintaining alignment therebetween, with the inner end caps being removably fastened to the reflector segments. The inner end caps have central apertures for supporting a slab tube, with a laser slab being disposed through the tube and supported at its ends by outer end caps removably fixedly joined to respective ones of the inner end caps. A pair of removable lamp modules are disposed on opposite sides of the slab module and contain lamps for exciting the laser slab.

Abstract: This invention relates to lasers which produce a high average power. Such structures of this type, generally, produce the high average power intensity having a high peak intensity at a wavelength near 530 nm.

Abstract: Selected scintillator materials provided in transparent block form for use in systems such as CT scanning systems employ a garnet host material for an activator ion which provides the desired luminescence. The garnet host material preferably includes gadolinium as one of its components in order to provide a transparent host material in bar form which has a high x-ray stopping power (where the radiation to be detected is x-ray radiation). Chromium, cerium and neodymium are preferred activator materials.

Abstract: A solid laser rod optically pumped is cooled to produce a large thermal gradient extending only along the radiation propagation direction. This thermal gradient results in a reduced average gain cross section, permitting increased energy storage and correspondingly increased laser energy output without thermal optic distortion. In Nd:YAG lasers, a longitudinal cooling profile allows super-radiance at the high gain 1.06 .mu.m transition to be suppressed and useful laser operation to be obtained on lower gain transitions, notably at 0.94 .mu.m or 1.32 .mu.m may be obtained.