Abstract: There is provided an end-pumped vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) in which a pump laser beam is incident on a laser chip at a right angle. In the external cavity surface emitting laser, a laser chip package is provided with a laser chip emitting light at a first wavelength by optical pumping, an external mirror is spaced apart from a top surface of the laser chip package to transmit a portion of the light emitted from the laser chip to the outside and to reflect the remainder to the laser chip, a heat sink is coupled to the bottom surface of the laser chip package to discharge heat generated by the laser chip, and a pump laser faces a bottom surface of the heat sink to emit pump light at a second wavelength perpendicular to the laser chip.
Abstract: A laser apparatus has a multipath solid-state slab laser rod and an excitation source that excites it, and uses a solid-state slab laser rod that has a trapezoid or parallelogram-shaped cross section along the optical path, that is provided with six or more faces and that has a light amplifying effect or a nonlinear optical effect. The light that is incident to the laser rod is totally reflected at the incident-light end face and exit end face of the laser rod, passes back through the interior of the laser rod a plurality of times, e.g., three times, and then exits. For light amplification, excitation light is irradiated from the side face. In addition, for nonlinear optical effects, the z-axis of a nonlinear optical crystal is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the plane of the optical path, and the temperature of the solid-state slab laser rod is kept at the phase-matching temperature.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 21, 2006
Date of Patent:
April 7, 2009
Assignee:
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Incorporated Administrative Agency
Abstract: Provided is a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) in which a pump laser is integrated with the rest of the VECSEL as a single body. The VECSEL includes: a first active layer that has a quantum well structure and generates light with a first wavelength; a reflection layer formed on a first surface of the first active layer; an external mirror that is separated by a predetermined distance from a second surface of the first active layer, transmits a portion of light generated by the first active layer to the outside, and reflects the rest of the light generated by the first active layer to be absorbed by the first active layer; and a pump laser disposed on the reflection layer as a single body to provide light with a second wavelength which is shorter than the first wavelength to the first active layer for optical pumping.
Abstract: Quantum computer includes optical resonator including system group containing systems each having energy states highest-energy state |3>, and other two energy states |1> and |2>, fourth or more states |p>, transition angular frequency (?ij) between |i> and |j>, homogeneous broadening (??homo,ij) in transition angular frequency between |i> and |j>, optical resonator having resonator modes, ?ck of kth resonator mode, and emitting unit configured to emit light beam to system group, and wherein |?cl??cm|>??homo,23, system group includes system subgroups Aq having respective ?23 which resonate with respective ?cq of resonator modes, and emitting unit is arranged to apply light beam of two wavelengths and other light beam to s(1)th quantum bit Aqs(1) (s(1)1˜r) formed of r systems selected from each Aq, light beam of two wavelengths simultaneously causing two-photon resonance on Aq at ?12 or ?1p, other light beam simultaneously causing one-photon resonance on Aq at ?13 or ?p3.
Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a laser system and method for the optical generation of ultrasound at a remote target. This involves generating a pump laser beam with a diode-pumped fiber laser. The diode pumped fiber laser is fiber-coupled with an optical fiber, either passive or diode pumped, to a generation laser head. The generation laser head generates a generation laser beam from the pump laser beam and directs the generation laser beam to the surface of the remote target. The interaction between generation laser beam and the surface of the remote target results in ultrasonic displacements at the remote target. These ultrasonic displacements may be sampled in order to assess and inspect the remote target.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 20, 2006
Publication date:
November 27, 2008
Applicant:
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Inventors:
John B. Deaton, JR., Marc Dubois, Kenneth R. Yawn, Jeffery E. Maestas, Thomas E. Drake, JR.
Abstract: A mode-locked laser employs a coupled-polarization scheme for efficient longitudinal pumping by reshaped laser diode bars. One or more dielectric polarizers are configured to reflect a pumping wavelength having a first polarization and to reflect a lasing wavelength having a second polarization. A Yb-doped gain medium can be used that absorbs light having a first polarization and emits light having a second polarization. Using such pumping with laser cavity dispersion control, pulse durations of less than 100 fs can be achieved.
Abstract: An apparatus and related methods are described, the apparatus comprising a composite material layer configured to exhibit at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for radiation of at least one wavelength propagating therethrough. The apparatus further comprises a layer of gain material proximal to the composite material layer, the layer of gain material providing amplification for the propagating radiation. The layer of gain material is disposed within a laser cavity and pumped to a lasing condition for the laser cavity, the layer of gain material thereby providing gain-clamped amplification for the propagating radiation.
Abstract: A laser spark distribution and ignition system that reduces the high power optical requirements for use in a laser ignition and distribution system allowing for the use of optical fibers for delivering the low peak energy pumping pulses to a laser amplifier or laser oscillator. An optical distributor distributes and delivers optical pumping energy from an optical pumping source to multiple combustion chambers incorporating laser oscillators or laser amplifiers for inducing a laser spark within a combustion chamber. The optical distributor preferably includes a single rotating mirror or lens which deflects the optical pumping energy from the axis of rotation and into a plurality of distinct optical fibers each connected to a respective laser media or amplifier coupled to an associated combustion chamber. The laser spark generators preferably produce a high peak power laser spark, from a single low power pulse.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 4, 2006
Date of Patent:
September 2, 2008
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
Abstract: The invention concerns a radiation source, comprising an anode (2), a cathode (3), an electric discharge gap (4) between the anode (2) and the cathode (3) and a gas input conduit (30) in the discharge gap (4). The gas input conduit (30) is electrically connected to the anode and the cathode. The invention is characterized in that the gas input conduit (30) is supplied with gas by a gas supply conduit (32), designed to form between its portion (42) connected to the gas input conduit (30) and another of its portions connected to a fixed potential, an electric impedance such that it counters the generation of electric discharges inside the gas input conduit (30).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 27, 2003
Date of Patent:
September 2, 2008
Assignees:
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.), Universite d'Orleans
Inventors:
Christophe Cachoncinlle, Rémi Dussart, Claude Fleurier, Jean-Michel Pouvesle, Eric Robert, Raymond Viladrosa
Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.
Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.
Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser-crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.
Abstract: Systems and methods for optically pumping alkali-metal atoms using Coherence Population Trapping (CPT) resonances are disclosed. An illustrative push-pull optical pumping system for inducing CPT resonances in a resonance cell containing an admixture of alkali-metal atoms and one or more buffer gasses may include a laser assembly adapted to produce alternating orthogonally polarized light, and at least one DC current source adapted to output a constant-intensity carrier current signal for inducing laser emission from the laser assembly at a carrier wavelength of the alkali-metal atoms. An RF modulated signal outputted from an RF modulation source can be rectified, split, and phase-shifted for inducing a time-dependent polarization of the laser light that can be used to enhance CPT resonances.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 22, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2008
Assignee:
Honeywell International Inc.
Inventors:
Lisa M. Lust, Douglas R. Carlson, Daniel W. Youngner
Abstract: A diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) has self-maintained multi-dimensional optimization. The output property of the DPSSL, including optical power, noise level, and the operation conditions of its individual components, including the drive current and temperature of the laser diode, the temperature of the laser crystals and laser cavity, the drive current of the thermoelectric coolers, is monitored and systematically optimized in real time through automatic electronic control using a microprocessor. Such monitoring and optimization enable the DPSSL to maintain its optimum performance in output power, beam quality, noise level, and stability, throughout its lifetime regardless of component aging and change of environmental conditions. A highly accurate temperature monitoring and control method is also developed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 13, 2005
Date of Patent:
April 29, 2008
Assignee:
B & W Property Inc.
Inventors:
Dan Liu, Rongsheng Tian, Sean Xiaolu Wang
Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.
Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.
Abstract: To compensate for undesirable thermooptical effects in optical pumping of solid-state laser rods, regions of the lateral surface are heated in such a way that reverse thermal gradients are created at these locations. This is achieved by providing said regions with a radiation-absorbing layer which is heated by pump radiation and laser radiation.
Abstract: A laser system and method. The inventive laser includes an annular gain medium; a source of pump energy; and an arrangement for concentrating energy from the source on the gain medium. In a more specific implementation, a mechanism is included for rotating the gain medium to effect extraction of pump energy and cooling. In the illustrative embodiment, the pump source is a diode array. Energy from the array is coupled to the medium via an array of optical fibers. The outputs of the fibers are input to a concentrator that directs the pump energy onto a pump region of the medium. In the best mode, plural disks of gain media are arranged in an offset manner to provide a single resonator architecture. First and second mirrors are added to complete the resonator. In accordance with the inventive teachings, a method for pumping and cooling a laser is taught.
Abstract: Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) ducts are disclosed for use with various gain media. An ASE duct may be configured and arranged to remove ASE from solid state or liquid gain media and transmit the ASE to an exterior optical medium. The refractive index of an ASE duct is selected as desired based on the refractive index of a gain medium and an exterior optical medium. An ASE duct may include first and second boundary surfaces joined at a vertex having an included angle that allows ASE (light) reflected off on one boundary surface to be incident on the another boundary surface at less than the critical angle and transmitted outside of the ASE duct. Laser systems using ASE ducts and methods of using and manufacturing ASE ducts are disclosed.
Abstract: Apparatus and methods for high fidelity quantum communication over long communication channels even in the presence of significant loss in the channels are disclosed. The invention employs laser manipulation of quantum correlated atomic ensembles using linear optic components, optical sources of low intensity pulses, beam splitters, and single-photon detectors requiring only moderate efficiencies. The invention provides fault-tolerant entanglement generation and connection, using a sequence of steps that each provide built-in entanglement purification and that are each resilient to the realistic noise. The invention relies upon collective excitation in atomic ensembles rather than single particle excitations in atomic ensembles so that communication efficiency scales polynomially with the total length of a communication channel.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 20, 2002
Date of Patent:
January 8, 2008
Assignee:
Magiq Technologies, Inc.
Inventors:
Peter Zoller, Luming Duan, Ignacio Cirac, Mikhail D. Lukin
Abstract: Saturated tabletop lasers having increased output energy and operating at 5 Hz repetition rate, were demonstrated at wavelengths about 18.9 nm for molybdenum targets, 16.4 nm for ruthenium targets, 14.7 nm for palladium targets, 13.9 nm for silver targets, and 13.2 nm for cadmium targets in transitions of nickel-like ions. The results were obtained using a sequence of two, plasma-generating pre-pulses, each having sub-Joule energy followed after a selected delay period by picosecond laser plasma excitation pulses having with an energy of about 1 J at angles of incidence optimized for maximum energy deposition.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 23, 2004
Date of Patent:
December 11, 2007
Assignee:
Colorado State University Research Foundation
Inventors:
Jorge J. Rocca, David Alessi, Bradley M. Luther, Mark Berrill, Miguel A. Larotonda, Yong Wang
Abstract: A master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser system includes a symmetrical master oscillator and an amplifier each having an optically pumped solid-state gain rod. An optical relay is located between the laser resonator and the amplifier gain rod. When the oscillator and amplifier gain media are equally optically pumped, the magnification and the distances from the optical relay to the resonator and the amplifier gain rod can be selected such that amplifier efficiency is maximized, independent of optical pump power, even if the diameters of the oscillator and amplifier gain rods are different.
Abstract: An asymmetric light emitting structure for producing polarized light that includes a light emitting layer having a plurality of light emitting species, wherein orientation of the light emitting species is uncontrolled. Receipt of the emitted light from the light emitting layer is accomplished via an asymmetric geometric element that also produces polarized light. Additionally, the asymmetric light emitting structure includes a means for excitation of the light emitting layer.
Abstract: An optical system includes semiconductor lasers arranged in the direction of the slow axis of the laser beam, an optical means which makes parallel the collimated laser beams, an optical member which is provided with inlet and outlet faces which are positioned in perpendicular to the optical axis of laser beams and total reflection surfaces which are opposed to each other at a space where the component in the direction of the slow axis of the laser beam entering from the light inlet face repeats internal reflection, and emits from the light outlet face a slow axis uniform laser beam, and an imaging optical means which images the slow axis uniform laser beam on a surface as a linear line beam extending in the direction of the slow axis.
Abstract: The invention relates to a pump arrangement for transversally pumping an active medium, especially a laser rod, wherein two pump light sources are arranged on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the active medium, especially pertaining to the laser rod. The value of the smallest angle between the central axes of the pump light sources is less than 180°. A pump arrangement is also provided which illuminates the active medium in a particularly uniform manner.
Abstract: A diode-pumped laser with a direct edge coupling of a pump beam is provided. The laser includes a microchip laser cavity optically pumped by a laser diode emitting an astigmatic pump beam having a substantially elliptical beam cross-section at an output laser diode facet. The microchip laser cavity is disposed at a substantial distance exceeding 0.001? from the laser diode pump where the astigmatic pump beam has a greatly reduced ellipticity, providing high laser output efficiency without coupling lens element between the laser cavity and the laser diode pump. The pumping arrangement is favourable for single-mode lasing. In some embodiments, the laser cavity includes nonlinear crystal for intra-cavity SHG, a saturable absorber for passive Q-switching and mode locking, and a polarizing prism.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 15, 2004
Date of Patent:
August 21, 2007
Assignee:
JDS Uniphase Corporation
Inventors:
Gang Lei, Charles Andy Hulse, Vincent Issier, Richard A. Bradley, Jr., Robert G. Waarts
Abstract: An optically pumped semiconductor laser apparatus having a vertical emitter (2) and having one pump laser (5) for optically pumping the vertical emitter (2), with the vertical emitter (2) and the pump laser (5) being monolithically integrated. The pump laser (5) and the vertical emitter (2) each have a radiation-emitting zone (3, 6). During operation, the temperature of the radiation-emitting zone (6) of the pump laser (5) is lower than the temperature of the radiation-emitting zone (3) of the vertical emitter (2).
Abstract: A diode-pumped solid-state laser including a short wavelength (e.g., blue, violet, or UV) semiconductor laser that pumps an absorption transition in a rare-earth-doped material. Responsive to this pumping, the rare-earth active ion directly emits laser radiation. A number of different wavelength outputs, including short wavelengths, are achievable dependent upon the material and the pump wavelength. The gain medium may include an active ion selected from Er3+ Sm3+, Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Tm3+, Ho3+, and Pr3+. A laser diode pump source has a wavelength in the range of about 365 nm to 480 nm to excite a laser emission in the range of 370 to 800 nm. The laser diode pump source may comprise a GaN-based semiconductor. In some embodiments, the laser diode pump source supplies a pump beam in a range of 370–380 nm, 400–415 nm, 435–445 nm, or 468–478 nm.
Abstract: Provided is a system of computing and rendering a nature of a chemical bond based on physical, Maxwellian solutions of charge, mass, and current density functions of hydrogen-type molecules and molecular ions. The system includes a processor for processing Maxwellian equations representing charge, mass, and current density functions of hydrogen-type molecules and molecular ions and an output device in communication with the processor for displaying the nature of the chemical bond.
Abstract: Disclosed is a diode-pumped solid-state laser having an asymmetrical optical resonator provided with at least two resonator mirrors, inside said resonator being provided at least one thermal lens having an optical refractive power D and having two principal planes respectively and said resonator being definable by the following stability criteria: 0<G1·G2<1 with G1=1?L*/R1?D·d2 G2=1?L*/R2·D·d1 and L*=d1+d2?D·d1·d2 d1,d2 the distances of the resonator mirror from the principal planes of the thermal lens R1, R2 the radii of curvature of the resonator mirrors.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 10, 2003
Date of Patent:
February 13, 2007
Assignee:
Tui Laser AG
Inventors:
Stephan Geiger, Martin Paster, Siegfried Freer
Abstract: A laser gain device (10) holds a laser slab (60) which is pumped by pump energy from at least one diode array assembly (24). An angle at which pump energy from the diode array assembly (24) impinges the laser slab (60) is adjustable via angle adjustment means. The laser slab (60) is mounted between edge bars (62, 64) which have laser slab spacers (84) extending therethrough, allowing laser slabs (60) of different widths to be mounted within the laser gain device (10). One or more pump energy shields (88, 90) are used to control the amount of pump energy entering the laser slab (60), and cooling liquid conduits (100) are provided throughout components of the laser gain device (10), serving to conductively cool a heat shield (12).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 23, 2003
Date of Patent:
January 30, 2007
Assignee:
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Inventors:
James Michael Zamel, Randall St. Pierre, John A. Szot
Abstract: A beam shaping optical arrangement combines three incoming laser beams that are mutually laterally offset in two orthogonal directions (X and Y), including an incoming first central laser beam and second and third incoming beams laterally offset in the X direction on either side of the central beam, into one outgoing combined laser beam. The arrangement includes two lateral displacement optical units though which the laterally offset incoming beams are transmitted and that laterally displace the two laterally offset incoming beams along the X direction towards the incoming central beam but which do not laterally offset the incoming central beam.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 27, 2005
Date of Patent:
January 23, 2007
Assignee:
Trumpf Laser GmbH + Co. KG
Inventors:
Andreas Voss, Martin Huonker, Martin Liermann, Klaus Wallmeroth, Malte Kumkar, Friedheim Dorsch, Christian Schmitz
Abstract: A solid-state laser device, which comprises a first resonator for projecting a first laser beam and a second resonator for projecting a second laser beam, wherein the first resonator and the second resonator commonly share a part of an optical axis and an output mirror, and which comprises a first light emitting unit for the first resonator, a second light emitting unit for the second resonator, a monitoring means for splitting and monitoring a part of the first laser beam and for splitting and monitoring a part of the second laser beam among the laser beams projected from the output mirror, and a control unit for controlling at least one of the first light emitting unit and the second light emitting unit based on a detection result from the monitoring means.
Abstract: A device for emission of light is made including an emitting structure including an active part and a micro-cavity, delimited by mirrors and containing the active part, and a laser diode designed for pumping the emitting structure. The emitting structure is fixed to the laser diode. The device is particularly applicable to the detection of gas.
Abstract: An EUV light source collector erosion mitigation method and apparatus for a collector comprising a multilayered mirror collector comprising a collector outer surface composed of a capping material subject to removal due to a removing interaction with materials created in an EUV light-creating plasma, is disclosed which may comprise including within an EUV plasma source material a replacement material. The replacement material may comprise the same material as the capping material of the multilayered mirror. The replacement material may comprise a material that is essentially transparent to light in a selected band of EUV light, e.g., a spectrum of EUV light generated in a plasma of a plasma source material. The replacement material may comprise a material not susceptible to being etched by an etching material used to remove deposited plasma source material from the collector, e.g., a halogen etchant.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 27, 2005
Date of Patent:
November 28, 2006
Assignee:
Cymer, Inc.
Inventors:
William N. Partlo, Alexander I. Ershov, Igor V. Fomenkov, David W. Myers, William Oldham
Abstract: An electron-beam excitation laser has a laser structure with a light emitter and reflectors on one hand and an electron source on the other hand, wherein at least part of the light emitter or reflectors has a multidimensional photonic crystal structure. An electron-beam excitation laser includes an electron source emitting electrons and a laser structure consisting of a light emitter and reflectors, accelerates electrons from the electron source, and irradiates the electrons to the laser structure to emit a laser beam from the laser structure, wherein the reflectors and/or the light emitter in the laser structure are formed with multidimensional photonic crystals in which dielectrics with different dielectric constants are arrayed in a plurality of directions at periodic intervals, and one of the dielectrics with different dielectric constants may be formed with a light-emitting material.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid-state laser comprising: a) a semiconductor pump laser, b) a lens integrated on the surface of said semiconductor pump laser, c) a packaging material consisting essentially of a spin-on glass material, wherein the spin-on glass material is processable at a process temperature of less than 225° C., and d) a lasing material layer having a highly reflective coating in both sides. The invention also relates to a process for producing such a solid-state laser, which process comprises applying spin-on glass material onto semiconductor wafers having VCSEL pump lasers using different coating methods, such as spin coating, and curing the glass film layer at temperatures <225° C.
Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for generating ultrashort optical linear chirped pulses with very high power by amplifying the pulses so that their temporal duration is longer than the storage time of the amplifying medium. The additional gain factor is related to the ratio of the storage time to the stretched pulse. A preferred embodiment connects a mode locked laser source that generates optical pulses whose duration is stretched with a chirped fiber Bragg grating. Embodiments include methods, devices and systems causing an extreme chirped pulse amplifier (XCPA) effect in an oscillator.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 21, 2004
Date of Patent:
August 22, 2006
Assignee:
Research Foundation of the University of Central Florida, Inc.
Inventors:
Peter J. Delfyett, Kyungbum Kim, Bojan Resan
Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for amplifying a source light in a solid state laser. An amplifier module for the solid state laser suitably includes a disk having two substantially parallel surfaces and an optical gain material. A number of diode bars are arranged about the perimeter of the disk and configured to provide optical pump radiation to the laser gain material in the disk. Each of the plurality of diode bars is spatially aligned with the disk in such a manner as to produce substantially uniform gain across the optical gain material. The fast axes of the diode bars maybe aligned to be parallel or orthogonal to the parallel surfaces of the disk, for example.
Abstract: A diode-pumped solid-state laser oscillator optically pumps a laser medium. The oscillator has at least one pumping light source that emits light in a predetermined wavelength band, and a laser medium that absorbs light in the wavelength band. In the wavelength band, the optical absorption index of the laser medium increases with an increase in wavelength, and the optical radiation energy of the light source decreases with an increase in wavelength. Thus, with respect to wavelength changes, an increase in the optical absorption index is cancelled out by a decrease in the radiation energy, making the stability of the laser output less dependent on the temperature of the optical pumping medium or laser medium.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 7, 2005
Date of Patent:
July 11, 2006
Assignee:
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
Abstract: A solid-state laser system includes a solid-state laser having a laser gain medium and at least one pumping diode. The system also includes a thermal management system capable of placing a coolant in thermal communication with the solid-state laser such that the coolant can carry heat away from the solid-state laser. The thermal management system is then capable of rejecting the heat carried away by the coolant to a fluid at an ambient temperature, where the coolant can be at a temperature between 40° C. and 80° C. when the thermal management system rejects the heat. Advantageously, the thermal management system of the present invention can include reject the heat to a fluid comprising, for example, air or water. As such, the thermal management system does not require separate cooling of the fluid carrying the heat away from the coolant.
Abstract: A solid-state eye-safe laser and method with gain boost by dual-wavelength, synchronized pumplights. The laser includes a medium doped with ions that emit light at a laser wavelength as a result of the transition of electron energy from an upper energy level manifold to a lower energy level manifold. A first pumplight couples energy into the medium at a first wavelength that excites a first portion of the ions into said upper energy level manifold. A second pumplight couples energy into said medium at a second wavelength that excites a second portion of the ions to a third energy level manifold. A fraction of the ions relax to the upper energy level manifold and thereby increase the gain of the laser (2). The laser may be an erbium crystal laser, using yttrium-aluminum-garnet operating near 1640 nanometers.
Abstract: A pumping module is provided with a first square rod group including a first square rod having two heat sinking surfaces normal to a direction of y axis perpendicular to an optical axis, and a second square rod having two heat sinking surfaces normal to a direction of x axis perpendicular to the optical axis and the direction of the y axis, and a second square rod group including a third square rod having two heat sinking surfaces normal to the direction of the y axis and a fourth square rod having two heat sinking surfaces normal to the direction of the x axis. A polarization rotator is disposed between the first and second square rod groups, for rotating a polarization of laser light passing therethrough by 90 degrees.
Abstract: An arrangement for optical beam transformation, having at least one light source which can emit at least one light beam, with the at least one light beam having a greater divergence in a first direction (Y) than in a second direction (X) at right angles to it, a collimation means, which can at least reduce the divergence of the at least one light beam in the first direction (Y), an apparatus for optical beam transformation, which is arranged downstream from the collimation means in the propagation direction (Z) of the at least one light beam, with the apparatus being such that the divergence of the at least one light beam passing through the apparatus in the first direction (Y) is interchanged with the divergence in the second direction (X) at right angles to it, and such that the cross-sectional area of the at least one light beam is reduced in the apparatus for optical beam transformation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 29, 2004
Date of Patent:
April 11, 2006
Assignee:
Hentze-Lissotschenko Patentverwaltungs GmbH & Co., KG
Abstract: A laser system capable of producing multiple groups of output wavelengths is disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical fiber bundle doped with erbium (Er) or erbium/ytterbium (Er/Yb) is perpendicularly attached to an optical device, which serves as a guided-mode resonance feedback mirror, to form a fiber laser matrix. The optical device contains a substrate layer, a waveguide layer, and a grating layer, with non-uniform device parameters. The wavelength of the resonant light and its corresponding laser light of an individual optical fiber depends upon the parameters in the location on the optical device where the fiber is attached. In another embodiment, a plurality of active waveguides in a body are attached to an optical device to form a diode-pumped crystal laser matrix with multi-group output wavelengths. The invented laser system is capable of generating laser sources of large channel capacity for the optical network especially for the dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) system.
Abstract: An optical system has a high power diode pump source and a thin disk gain media. An optical coupler is positioned between the diode pump source and the thin disk gain media. The optical coupler produces a beam with a large numerical aperture incident on the thin disk gain media.
Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for achieving high power and high intensity laser amplification. In a four-pass optical amplifying system, a linear polarized optical beam is directed by various optical elements four times through an optical amplifier. The optical amplifier is transversely pumped by a pumping energy source that includes laser diode arrays. The pumping module and the other optical components are provided to counteract thermal lensing effects, induced thermal birefringence effects and to achieve enhanced amplification and efficiencies.
Abstract: An optically pumped laser has a gain medium positioned inside of an optical resonator cavity and disposed about a resonator optical axis. An optical pumping source is positioned outside of the optical resonator cavity. A reflective coupler with a coupler body, and an interior volume passing therethrough is positioned proximal to the optical pumping source. Light from the pumping source passes into an entrance aperture of the reflective coupler to an exit aperture of the reflective coupler positioned distal to the optical pumping source. The interior volume of the reflective coupler is bounded by a reflective surface, an entrance aperture and the exit aperture, and is substantially transparent to radiation from the optical pumping source. The reflective surface has a high reflectivity matched to radiation from the optical pumping source.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 16, 2003
Date of Patent:
November 29, 2005
Assignee:
Spectra Physics, Inc.
Inventors:
Jason D. Henrie, William L. Nighan, Jr.
Abstract: An organic laser cavity device, that includes: a first dielectric stack for receiving and transmitting pumped beam light and being reflective to laser light over a predetermined range of wavelengths and having a substantially low threshold for optical excitation; an organic active region for receiving the transmitted pumped beam light and laser light from the first dielectric stack, and emits the laser light; a second dielectric stack for reflecting the transmitted pumped beam light and the laser light from the organic active region back into the organic active region, wherein a combination of the first and second dielectric stacks and the organic active region outputs the laser light; and an external self-contained photon source of the pumped beam light cooperating with the organic laser cavity for optical excitation at the substantially low threshold.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 16, 2002
Date of Patent:
November 8, 2005
Assignee:
Eastman Kodak Company
Inventors:
Joseph A. Manico, John P. Spoonhower, David L. Patton, Edward Covannon
Abstract: The solid state laser comprises the laser medium 11 for absorbing the pumping light 12 from the LD 10 and generating or amplifying the light having a predetermined wavelength and a heat sink comprising the first block 15a, the second block 15b and the third block 15c for aligning the laser medium 11, cooling the laser medium 11 and reflecting the pumping light 12. The laser medium 11 has an arcuate light incident surface A and a flat reflection portion. The pumping light 12 having a diffusing angle is converted into parallel light by the light incident surface A, thereby pumping the laser medium 11 uniformly. The flat reflection portion makes it easy to align laser medium 11 having anisotropic characteristic and helps to efficiently pump the laser medium 11 by reflecting the reflection light substantially in parallel with the incident light.