Abstract: A device for loading of a light wave guide formed as a fiber with exciting energy in form of a pump light supply for producing a laser light has a fiber, such as a laser fiber and an amplifier fiber, which is wound with at least one winding in a coil-like manner for a transverse coupling of exciting pump light.

Abstract: A light source for an exposure device associated with an optical lithographic system is disclosed. The light source includes a structural body having slots for receiving a plurality of laser elements. The laser elements are modular. Thus, they can be removed and installed separately, which facilitates ease of maintenance. The laser elements have a semiconductor laser that pumps a solid-state laser that is subjected to nonlinear optical crystals that convert the laser beam to smaller wavelength light to produce polarized UV laser light for use in optical lithography. The laser light from each laser element is linearly polarized. The laser elements are located in the structural body in different orientations so as to orient their respective directions of polarization different from each other so as to prevent dissimilar line widths of linear features of lithographically produced substrates that use laser light sources.

Abstract: A diode-laser side-pumped solid-state laser device (SSLD) has a cylindrical laser rod, a cooling tube, and a cylindrical mirror member having an inner mirror surface and a plurality of openings therein for introducing pumping laser. The laser rod receives the pumping laser, absorbs a portion of the pumping laser, and passes and focus the remaining portion of the pumping laser at a focal point disposed on the mirror surface. Substantially all the remaining portion of the pumping laser is reflected to be received and absorbed by the laser rod.

Abstract: According to the invention, the active element for a laser source comprises an elongate rod comprising a doped matrix capable of absorbing a pump beam in order to amplify laser radiation propagating longitudinally, at least one input face for the pump beam, a first reflection face for the pump beam which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod and at least one interacting second reflection face, at least one of the input face and second reflection face being equally inclined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a diode-pumped solid-state laser (DSSL) comprises a pumping light source having a diode stack. The inventive laser also comprises a laser rod and a pumping cavity, whereby the pumping light source accommodated in a separate housing can be exchanged as a pumping module with simple handles. As a result, the pumping light source is protected from electrostatic discharge of the diodes, mechanical stress and from contamination. Given that it is possible to accommodate alternative pumping light sources of varying pumping capacities in the pumping module, the user can exchange the pumping module when the pumping module is worn as well as when additional power is required.

Abstract: A laser assembly, particularly one employing a gas lasing medium, has at least one lasing gas supply reservoir that is separate from the housing enclosure for the laser's optical cavity. A flexible or semi-flexible conduit supplies lasing gas from the reservoir to the optical cavity, so as to allow the laser per se and the gas reservoir to be manufactured separately and then connected by the tubing, thus simplifying the design and manufacturing process. The laser is preferably operated as a pulsed gas discharge laser that produces a continuous laser output. One or both of the laser's cavity mirrors may be coated with fine parallel lines which constrain the laser output to be linearly polarized. The lasing medium may have a stepwise or tapered structure, which provides for selection of the most desirable TEM00 mode. In addition, the lasing medium cavity may be cooled by a multiple cooling jacket structure to facilitate placement of the coolant inlet and outlet ports.

Abstract: A multi-pass, integrating diode pump cavity for an Er,Yb:glass laser is provided. The diode pump cavity comprises two end members of undoped glass sandwiching a center section of glass of the same composition as that of the two end members but doped with erbium and ytterbium ions. The two end members are each provided with a curved outer surface, which is coated with a reflective coating. At least one of the curved surfaces includes a slit through the reflective coating for transmission of pump laser light from a pump diode laser bar into the cavity. The diode pump cavity is small, compact, efficient, and eye-safe.

Abstract: A multi-mode pump laser having an output, and an optical fiber coupler. The optical fiber coupler has a first section and a second section. The first section of the optical fiber coupler comprises a multi-mode fiber which is optically coupled to the pump laser output. The second section of the fiber coupler comprises a plurality of single mode optical fibers each of which has an input which is optically coupled to the multi-mode fiber. The source further comprises a pump drive which is controllable to dither the optical center frequency of the light produced by the pump laser, so as to scramble modal power distribution at the inputs of the single mode optical fibers.

Abstract: The average power capability of a solid-state laser is increased by cooling the lasing element to a cryogenic temperature. The laser pump chamber is configured to define a flow path for circulating cryogenic fluid. The cryogenic cooling is achieved for rod, slab, active-mirror or disc amplifier-type lasing elements.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser structure for use having a laser substructure so constructed and arranged to have an active region in close proximity to the top surface region and separated therefrom by a separation region, the separation region having a lower refractive index than the top surface region and the active region.

Abstract: A multi-wavelength Raman radiation source is disclosed. The source receives pump radiation at a given wavelength, e.g., 1100 nm, and has outputs at two or more longer wavelengths, e.g., 1450 nm and 1480 nm. The cascaded Raman resonator comprises, for each desired output wavelength, an optical cavity formed by a high reflectivity grating and a low reflectivity grating, with both having the same center wavelength, equal to the desired output wavelength. Multi-wavelength Raman radiation sources have a variety of applications, e.g., they can advantageously be used in a remotely pumped optical fiber communication system.

Abstract: A solid-state laser includes a high-absorption coefficient solid-state gain medium such as Nd:YVO.sub.4 that is side pumped with a semiconductor laser diode array. The resonant cavity of the solid-state laser is positioned so that the TEM.sub.00 mode is spaced from the face of the laser through which the laser is pumped by a distance sufficient to reduce diffraction losses but sufficiently near to allow coupling of pump light into the gain mode. The gain medium, the doping level of the gain medium, and the operating temperature of the pump laser are selected to efficiently couple pump light into the gain mode. The pump laser is positioned to side pump the gain medium without collimating or focusing optics between the pump laser and the face of the gain medium. A gap between the pump laser and the gain medium is empirically selected to match the angular extent of the pump laser output light to the height of the gain mode at the position of the gain mode fixed to optimize coupling and diffraction losses.

Abstract: An efficient, powerful and reliable system for amplifying optical pulses. Seed-pulses are generated by a seed-pulse source and are transmitted to an optical amplifier for amplification. The power for the amplification is provided by a Q-switched, diode-pumped, extracavity frequency-doubled pump laser.

Abstract: A dye laser for generating laser pulses of long duration comprising an optic resonator which comprises an elongated dye cell, which contains light gain medium that can be excited to population inversion, the outputs of the laser pulses from the dye cell being formed of the end surfaces of the cell. There are mirrors placed in optical connection with the outputs of the laser pulses of the dye cell, at least one of the mirrors being partially transmissive for feeding the laser pulse out. Furthermore, means comprising at least one elongated gas discharge lamp are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the dye cell to feed excitation light into the dye cell so that the excitation light sweeps across the cell in the lateral direction of the cell.

Abstract: A laser printer is provided printing with a high precision simply and at a high speed, and the laser printer uses a semiconductor laser which can vary the diameter of the emitted light while the light density is held constant. In the laser printer, laser rays emitted from a semiconductor laser are irradiated onto a photoconductor to vary its surface potential to produce a charge pattern particles adhere, and printing is performed by transferring the changed particles to a printing object. The semiconductor laser has a plurality of waveguide type resonators, the emitted beams of the resonators having a spatial superposition, and light emission is possible so that the emitted beams of the resonators having a spatial superposition with respect to each other among the resonators of the semiconductor laser are not substantially superimposed in time.

Abstract: A laser pump cavity apparatus with integral concentrator provides uniform gain and high absorption efficiency. The apparatus has a doped solid-state laser medium, a concentrator which has a top cladding layer formed on the top surface of the doped laser medium having a cylindrical focusing surface, a bottom cladding layer formed on the bottom surface of the doped laser crystal having a cylindrical focusing surface, and edge cladding layers formed on the side surfaces of the doped laser medium. Cold plates, each of which also preferably has one cylindrical surface of substantially identical shape, are placed in thermal contact with the cylindrical focusing surfaces of the top and bottom cladding layers to absorb heat. The cylindrical focusing surfaces preferably have hyperbolic or quasi-hyperbolic shape. The laser pump cavity apparatus is preferably edge-pumped with several laser diode arrays focused toward the line foci of the cylindrical focusing surfaces in directions transverse to a laser beam axis.

Abstract: This invention describes new developments in Sagnac Raman amplifiers and cascade lasers to improve their performance. The Raman amplifier bandwidth is broadened by using a broadband pump or by combining a cladding-pumped fiber laser with the Sagnac Raman cavity. The broader bandwidth is also obtained by eliminating the need for polarization controllers in the Sagnac cavity by using an all polarization maintaining configuration, or at least using loop mirrors that maintain polarization. The polarization maintaining cavities have the added benefit of being environmentally stable and appropriate for turn-key operation. The noise arising from sources such as double Rayleigh scattering is reduced by using the Sagnac cavity in combination with a polarization diversity pumping scheme, where the pump is split along two axes of the fiber. This also leads to gain for the signal that is independent of the signal polarization.

Abstract: A two-step, diode-pumped solid-state laser is disclosed. A diode laser source pumps a first solid-state laser. The first solid-state laser in-turns pumps a second solid-state laser. The second solid-state laser contains all the parameters suitable for efficient deep UV generation. A direct application of the diode-pumped solid-state cascade laser is for deep UV generation for photo-refractive surgeries.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microlaser cavity (10) having:a solid active medium (2) emitting at least in a wavelength range between 1.5 and 1.6 .mu.m, anda saturable absorber (4) of formula CaF.sub.2 :Co.sup.2+ or MgF.sub.2 :Co.sup.2+ or SrF.sub.2 :Co.sup.2+ or BaF.sub.2 :Co.sup.2+ or La.sub.0.9 Mg.sub.0.5-x Co.sub.x Al.sub.11.433 O.sub.19 or YAlO.sub.3 :Co.sup.2+ (or YAl.sub.5-2x Co.sub.x Si.sub.x O.sub.3) or Y.sub.3 Al.sub.5-x-y Ga.sub.x Sc.sub.y O.sub.12 :Co.sup.2+ (or .sub.-3 Al.sub.5-x-y2z Ga.sub.x Sc.sub.y Co.sub.z Si.sub.z O.sub.12) or Y.sub.3-x Lu.sub.x Al.sub.5 O.sub.12 Co.sup.2+ (or Y.sub.3-x Lu.sub.x Al.sub.5-2y Co.sub.y Si.sub.y O.sub.3) or Sr.sub.1-x Mg.sub.x La.sub.y Al.sub.12-y O.sub.12 :Co.sup.2+ (or Sr.sub.1-x Mg.sub.x-y Co.sub.y La.sub.z Al.sub.12-z O.sub.12, with o<y<x).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving the thermal performance of a slab laser pump cavity is provided. Absorbing regions placed on either side of an active lasing region through which the active region is pumped provides uniform heat dissipation across the width of the slab thereby providing one-dimensional heat flow perpendicular to the broad surfaces of the lasing medium and maintaining uniform lensing and birefringence. Foreshortened cold plates in thermal communication with the active lasing region also provide improved thermal performance by providing uniform one-dimensional heat flow perpendicular to the broad surfaces of the lasing slab. In addition, a compliant thermal interface of variable thickness is provided to also improve the distribution of heat flow. Further, cooling channels located within the cold plates are located to achieve uniform one-dimensional heat flow.

Abstract: An optical amplifier uses a gain medium pumped with pump energy of a first wavelength that oscillates through the gain medium. In one embodiment, the pumping is essentially a cavity resonator that is coupled to either end of the gain medium such that oscillating pump energy passes through the gain medium as it reflects back and forth between the ends of the cavity. Highly reflective gratings may be used to maintain the oscillation of the pump energy, and a pump energy source, such as pumped doped optical fiber, is coupled to at least one of the gratings. In another embodiment, the pump source consists of multiple reflectors used at each end, and independent pump sources each having a slightly different wavelength within the absorption spectrum of the amplifier are coupled together, such that two pump wavelengths are simultaneously oscillated through the gain medium.

Abstract: A new, compact, side-pumped laser pump cavity design which uses non-conventional optics for injection of laser-diode light into a laser pump chamber includes a plurality of elongated light concentration channels. In one embodiment, the light concentration channels are compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) which have very small exit apertures so that light will not escape from the pumping chamber and will be multiply reflected through the laser rod. This new design effectively traps the pump radiation inside the pump chamber that encloses the laser rod. It enables more uniform laser pumping and highly effective recycle of pump radiation, leading to significantly improved laser performance. This new design also effectively widens the acceptable radiation wavelength of the diodes, resulting in a more reliable laser performance with lower cost.

Abstract: A laser pump cavity apparatus with integral concentrator provides improved thermal lensing control, cooling and fracture strength. The concentrator is formed around a doped solid-state laser medium by diffusion bonding, using a material different than the doped laser medium and with a substantially lower index of refraction, higher thermal conductivity and higher stress fracture strength than the doped laser crystal. The concentrator has a top cladding layer with a cylindrical focusing surface and a bottom cladding layer with a cylindrical focusing surface and may have edge cladding layers. Cold plates, each of which also has one cylindrical surface, are placed in thermal contact with the cylindrical surfaces of the top and bottom cladding layers. The cylindrical surfaces preferably have hyperbolic or quasi-hyperbolic shape. The laser pump cavity apparatus is preferably pumped with several laser diode arrays in directions transverse to a laser beam axis.

Abstract: An efficient, powerful and reliable system for amplifying optical pulses. Seed-pulses are generated by a seed-pulse source and are transmitted to an optical amplifier for amplification. The power for the amplification is provided by a Q-switched, diode-pumped, intracavity-doubled pump laser.

Abstract: An axially optically pumped laser 11 is penetrated coaxially by a target beam .lambda..sub.2. This penetration of the pumped laser occurs via light conductor 2 by means of laser diode 31. The pumped laser 11 can be an erbium--YAG laser. For this purpose, the dispersion, diffraction and reflection of an incoupling optic 12, of laser 11 and a focusing device 13 are suitably matched to each other in order that the pump light .lambda..sub.3, work beam .lambda..sub.1 and target beam .lambda..sub.2 are suitably guided and are suitable for small diameters. The laser arrangement is suitable as a medical device for ears, nose and throat and eyes and can be utilized with an endoscope.

Abstract: A solid-state laser apparatus comprises a plurality of solid-state materials each having an active solid-state medium and arranged in a row with a predetermined space on an optical axis of light incident thereon. An optical rotation material and an angle adjusting instrument for adjusting an angle between the optical rotation material and the optical axis of incident light are disposed in at least a space selected from among the plural spaces. The laser apparatus further comprises a laser optical system for extracting a laser beam emitted by the plural solid-state materials.

Abstract: To inexpensively and in a simple configuration provide a solid laser amplifier and a solid laser unit capable of generating a high output and high quality laser beam, the unit includes a solid laser medium 5A containing active solid media; a flow tube 14 or the like allowing a cooling medium 24 for cooling the solid laser medium 5A; and a laser array 12 so controlled in temperature as to emit an excitation light 9 for exciting the solid laser medium 5A, the wavelength of which lies within the absorption spectra of a solid laser medium 5A yet does not coincide with that of the absorption spectrum peak of a solid laser medium 5A.

Abstract: A multi-element, uniformly pumped laser includes a plurality of laser medium elements, a pumping means, a highly reflective reflector and an output coupler. The pumping means includes at least one pumping element which simultaneously excites at least two of the laser medium elements. An alternate uniformly pumped ring laser and an alternate uniformly pumped laser amplifier are also disclosed.

Abstract: A conductively cooled flashlamp (30) for use solid state lasers. The flashlamp (30) has an elongated heat sink (31) with a reflective center channel (32), and a flashlamp tube (12) disposed in the channel (32) that extends beyond the ends of the channel (32). Heat conducting gaskets (37a, 37b) are disposed around respective ends of the envelope (34) that separate the tube (12) from the heat sink (31) to provide an air gap (35) therebetween. Clamps (36a, 36b) contact the gaskets (37a, 37b) and secure the envelope (34) to the heat sink (31). Electrodes (25a, 25b) of the tube (12) extend away from the ends of the tube (12) and heavy wires (38a, 38b) are connected to the electrodes (25a, 25b) and extend longitudinally away from the respective electrodes (25a, 25b). Heat conducting, electrically insulating heat sink members (41a, 41b) are disposed at opposite distal ends of the heat sink (31), and wire clamps (42a, 42b) secure the wires 38a, 38b to the heat sink members (41a, 41b).

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical amplification device comprising an amplifier medium inserted between two mirrors and an optical pumping source. The mirrors are confocal mirrors whose focal plane is located in the vicinity of the center of the non-linear medium. This medium has a match-stick shape with a large axis in one direction forming an angle alpha/2 with the optical axis of the cavity defined by the two mirrors and the amplifier medium. This architecture enables an incident optical wave to pass several times within the amplification device leading to an increase in the performance characteristics of said device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid-state laser which forms a high-energy and high-power laser beam with a high repetition rate and whose overall system can be optically aligned in a simple manner. The solid-state laser of the invention can be fabricated by means of reflecting the laser beam which is reflected by a phase conjugation mirror(PCM) using stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) in a direction that is incidented on the PCM again, concurrently with the arrangement of directions of emission and incidence of the laser beam by the aid of polarization beam splitter(PBS).

Abstract: A laser head includes a body having opposite ends, and a bore extending axially therethrough for defining a reflector. The body is a unitary member circumferentially around the reflector. The reflector includes a center cavity for coaxially receiving a laser rod, and a plurality of lateral cavities disposed parallel to and extending radially outwardly from the center cavity for receiving flashlamps for optically pumping the laser rod. Reflector and lamp endcaps are removably mounted to the body for mounting the lamps and rod, and allowing individual replacement thereof.

Abstract: The conversion efficiency of a cascaded Raman laser (CRL) can be significantly improved if it comprises one or more of the below recited design features. The CRL comprises an intracavity section between an input section and an output section. The CRL is adapted for receiving pump radiation of wavelength .lambda..sub.p, and for emitting output radiation of wavelength .lambda..sub.n >.lambda..sub.p, and each of the input section and output section comprises fiber Bragg gratings of center wavelengths .lambda..sub.1, .lambda..sub.2 . . . .lambda..sub.n, where n.gtoreq.2 and .lambda..sub.1 <.lambda..sub.2 < . . . .lambda..sub.n-1. Among the efficiency-increasing features is ordering of the fiber Bragg gratings such that in the input section and the output section the gratings of center wavelengths .lambda..sub.1 . . . .lambda..sub.n and .lambda..sub.1 . . . .lambda..sub.

Abstract: A laser cluster for high-power applications includes an array of VCSELs. The array of VCSELs includes a center VCSEL and one or more peripheral VCSELs displaced from the center VCSEL in a hexagonal closest-packing arrangement sharing a pair of common electrical contacts. Each VCSEL in the array is flip-chip mounted on a heat sink to present the backside of the VCSEL. A multimode optical fiber is coupled to receive laser light from the array of VCSELs. The array of VCSELs is operable to generate a laser burst at a wavelength in a range from 950 nm to 1050 nm. In a process for fabricating a VCSEL that can be clustered for high-power applications, a bottom n-doped mirror stack is deposited above an n-doped gallium arsenide substrate. An active region including indium gallium arsenide is deposited above the bottom mirror stack. A top p-doped mirror stack is deposited above the active region. Electrical contacts are applied to the top mirror stack and to the substrate. The laser cluster is packaged and sealed.

Abstract: An efficient, powerful and reliable system for amplifying optical pulses. Seed-pulses are generated by a seed-pulse source and are transmitted to an optical amplifier for amplification. The power for the amplification is provided by a Q-switched, diode-pumped, intracavity-doubled pump laser.

Abstract: A lens system for use with a linearly arrayed light beam including a first optical element for receiving and redirecting different portions of the linearly arrayed light beam to different locations on an imaginary plane so as to generate a two-dimensional pattern of light beams on the imaginary plane; and a second optical element located at the imaginary plane and aligned with the two-dimensional pattern of light beams for redirecting each of the light beams of the two-dimensional pattern of light beams to any arbitrary direction.

Abstract: An optical parametric oscillator or OPO (20) includes an elongated resonant cavity (22) for signal light, having a parametric gain medium (28) disposed therein for converting pump light to signal light. The resonant cavity has a output coupling device (26) at one end thereof and a Porro prism (24) at the opposite end thereof. The OPO includes an optical arrangement (30, 39 and 40) for directing pump light to make counterpropagating initial and return passes longitudinally through the gain medium at an angle (36) to the axis (23) of the resonant cavity.

Abstract: A transverse pumping system for a laser rod uses symmetrically arranged banks of laser diodes which create overlapping patterns of illumination inside the rod. Cooling is provided by a symmetrically constructed circulation system which directs a turbulent flow of cooling water against the laser rod and against a heat sink for the diode banks. Cooling water for the laser rod flows through a glass tube surrounding the rod. This enables the cooling water to perform an auxiliary function in focussing the illumination generated by the pumping diodes.

Abstract: A high-Q pump cavity is formed from undoped crystal pieces that are diffusion bonded to a doped core of the same crystal host material. The resulting monolithic pump cavity has 2 opposing convex-curved sides which have a highly-reflective coating on their outer surfaces, except in narrow slit-shaped areas on each curved side through which laser-diode-supplied pump light enters the cavity. The curvature of the two curved sides is such that nearly all the pump light rays that pass through the slit-shaped areas are focussed by the curvature onto the doped core, and rays that enter the cavity are redirected through the doped core many times, resulting in efficient, uniform absorption. The cavity has two opposing flat sides that interface with metal heat sink blocks to facilitate the removal of internally-generated heat. Thermally induced astigmatic lensing caused by this heat is countered by cavity design in which the core shape and the dimensions of the cavity minimize this astigmatism.

Abstract: In order to avoid problems associated with thermal distortion, loss of energy, and destruction of system components, the invention provides a means for producing, for the first time, high repetition rate, high power pulses while avoiding thermal distortion and its attendant difficulties. The invention provides the ability to remove heat generated from the gain media (lasant material) and to repeatedly extract energy from the media without the accumulation of heat in the media which causes thermal distortions. The invention avoids thermal distortions by pumping an unheated gain region every time an optical pulse is incident thereon. In one aspect, the gain media is essentially uniformly pumped using an essentially instantaneous uniform spatial profile provided by a multi-mode oscillator. The resulting instantaneous uniform temperature profile does not create thermal gradients, thus, no thermal distortions occur.

Abstract: A high fluence diode laser device is provided which achieves high fluence by carefully designing the mount for the diode bars so as to permit high power and long pulse operation with little temperature rise in the diode lasers; providing a microlens array in front of the diode array to improve brightness; and utilizing a non-imaging (i.e., without lenses) optical condenser between the microlens array and the target to efficiently transmit light energy from the diode array to a smaller target area.

Abstract: A laser system is described in which two laser elements are configured as an oscillator and an amplifier in a common optical pumping section. Oscillator element is in a resonator and a divergent oscillator output beam is steered by a steering arrangement back to the amplifier element. The divergence of the beam from the resonator is adjusted, by moving output coupler element or selecting particular curvatures of resonator mirrors for example, to match the thermal lensing power of the amplifier element so that a substantially collimated output beam is produced.

Abstract: A solid-state laser has a rod-shaped laser medium with planar end faces and a pumping radiation source whose pumping radiation reaches the laser medium by means of an optical element arranged in a longitudinal configuration adjacent to a planar end face of the laser medium. The optical element is arranged in thermal contact with a cooling element and is optically dimensioned so as to result in a minimum diameter of the transverse mode profile within the laser resonator.

Abstract: In a solid-state laser amplifying apparatus and a solid-state laser apparatus, a high-power laser beam can be produced in a high efficiency under stable condition. The solid-state laser amplifying apparatus is comprised of a solid-state element containing an activated solid medium; a flow tube for causing a cooling medium used to cool the solid-state element to flow therethrough; a light condensing device arranged so as to surround the solid-state element, for holding the flow tube by directly, or indirectly sandwiching the flow tube, an inner surface of which is formed as a diffusion/reflection surface; an excitation light source arranged outside the light condensing device, for emitting excitation light used to excite the solid-state element; and an opening portion provided with the light condensing device, for conducting the excitation light.

Abstract: An excitation system for a gas laser featuring a multiplicity of gain channels uses a resonant cavity to provide broad band RF power division and impedance matching to the multiplicity of gain channels. Integral anode and grid resonant tank circuits featuring positive feedback may be employed to provide a self-excited power oscillator having a very high power capability with good efficiency at low cost. A smaller and higher frequency multi-channel excitation system fabricated from stripline resonator elements may be used for driving small scale multi-channel lasers. A common optical extraction system features either a stable, an unstable, or a hybrid optical cavity mode, with phase-locked or non-phase locked output performance, achieved via external or self-injection.

Abstract: A laser pump includes a pump housing defining a pump cavity. The pump cavity includes reflecting walls having two or more sections, which in combination, encircle the laser element of the laser. The two or more sections have centers which are off-set from each other and which may be of different radii or height. The longitudinal axes of the segments are parallel to the center of the laser element, and the center of one of the segments may be coaxial with the axis of the laser element. Pump light enters the pump cavity through one or more openings in the housing into the cavity and is reflected many times by the reflecting surfaces of the cavity, passing many times in various directions through various parts of the laser element, resulting in efficient and uniform pumping of the laser element.

Abstract: In a laser device having a solid-state laser medium of a slab or rod-shaped crystal, a flash lamp serving as an excitation-light source for the laser medium, and a reflector made of a foamed quartz glass for injecting light produced by the light source into the laser medium, an insulator made from a foamed glass is utilized to improve the efficiency of light injection and the resulting beam quality. In addition, where the laser medium is doped with Nd.sup.3+, a wavelength conversion filter made of a material doped with Cr.sup.3+ or Ti.sup.3+ is utilized to convert most of the excitation light into a wavelength most suitable for exciting the laser medium. Foamed quartz glass is preferred also as the material for the inner surface of an integrating sphere for optical measurement.

Abstract: In a laser device having a solid-state laser medium of a slab or rod-shaped crystal, a flash lamp serving as an excitation-light source for the laser medium, and a reflector made of a foamed quartz glass for injecting light produced by the light source into the laser medium, an insulator made from a foamed glass is utilized to improve the efficiency of light injection and the resulting beam quality. In addition, where the laser medium is doped with Nd.sup.3+, a wavelength conversion filter made of a material doped with Cr.sup.3+ or Ti.sup.3+ is utilized to convert most of the excitation light into a wavelength most suitable for exciting the laser medium. Foamed quartz glass is preferred also as the material for the inner surface of an integrating sphere for optical measurement.

Abstract: Stability of a pump laser for activating an erbium amplifier is enhanced by a grating which results in laser operation in the coherence collapse regime.

Abstract: A laser device which comprises a base having an optical channel, a laser diode pump source mounted to the base and in thermal conductive relation thereto, the laser diode pump source positioned in alignment with the optical channel, a laser gain medium mounted in the optical channel and capable of being excited to establish a lasing condition, a lens mounted in the optical channel and positioned between the laser diode pump source and the laser gain medium and aligned with the laser diode pump source and the laser gain medium, a power supply for energizing the laser diode pump source to produce a lasing condition therein to produce an output of lasing energy, the output directed to the lens and focused on the laser gain medium to excite the laser gain medium to establish a lasing condition for producing a beam, and a mirror mounted in alignment with the optical channel adjacent the laser gain medium.