Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include optical sensor systems and methods of using such systems. In an embodiment, the optical sensor system comprises a housing and an optical path through the housing. In an embodiment, the optical path comprises a first end and a second end. In an embodiment a reflector is at the first end of the optical path, and a lens is between the reflector and the second end of the optical path. In an embodiment, the optical sensor further comprises an opening through the housing between the lens and the reflector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a crystal fiber, and more particularly to a Ti: sapphire crystal fiber, a manufacturing method thereof, and a wide band light source with the same. The Ti: sapphire single crystal is grown by means of laser-heated pedestal growth (LHPG) method into a crystal fiber of a predetermined diameter. The as-grown crystal fiber is annealed for enhancing its fluorescence and reducing the infra-red residual absorption. The annealed crystal fiber is inserted into a glass capillary and is grown into a single-clad crystal fiber. The wide band light source comprises: a pumping source for providing a pumping light; a single-clad Ti: sapphire crystal fiber for absorbing the pumping light and emitting the wide band light.

Abstract: A method is for operating a pump light source having a diode laser, which provides a pump light, in particular for optical pumping of a laser device. The pump light source is activated in a first mode of operation such that the diode laser assumes a predefinable target temperature, which lies in a range of a maximum of the coefficient of absorption of the laser-active solid of the laser device. In a second mode of operation, following the first mode of operation, the pump light source is activated such that it generates pump light to build up a population inversion in the laser-active solid of the laser device.

Abstract: A laser with a spectral converter. The novel laser includes a spectral converter adapted to absorb electromagnetic energy in a first frequency band and re-emit energy in a second frequency band, and a laser gain medium adapted to absorb the re-emitted energy and output laser energy. The spectral converter includes a plurality of quantum dots having an emission spectrum matching an absorption spectrum of the gain medium. In an illustrative embodiment, the spectral converter is adapted to convert broadband energy to narrowband energy, and the gain medium is a REI-doped solid-state laser gain medium.

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.

Abstract: A main laser beam is focused to irradiate a tip of a high-density spouting gas flow formed by heating and then vaporizing a target material by a light beam for preheating making it to the plasma. As the result, the generation of a fast debris in the target material can be suppressed. And a discharge of the fast debris from the target material is also suppressed and extinguished by heating and then vaporizing them by a light beam for transpiration which is emitted at an adjusted time after the generation of the plasma. Thus, the fast debris which still appears in the plasma formed after preheating can be almost perfectly vaporized and extinguished by the light beam for transpiration.

Abstract: In a gas circulation fan, a main shaft is supported in a non-contact manner, by magnetic bearings. Between each of the magnetic bearings and a controller, a relay is provided. Each relay includes a position detection sensor circuit, an offset adjuster, a feedback gain adjuster and a filter circuit. Thus, compatibility between a mechanical body unit and the controller is attained.

Abstract: A method for producing molecular Iodine for introduction into the laser cavity of a Chemical-Oxygen-Iodine-Laser (COIL) includes the step of preparing a solid mixture that contains a primary component and an additive component. The solid mixture is formulated to generate a gas having a high concentration of molecular Iodine when ignited. The primary component of the mixture is composed of oxidizer and fuel at a substantially stoichiometric ratio and includes at least one Iodine compound. The additive component is provided to cool the relatively high temperature gas that is created during combustion of the primary component. The result is a gas at a relatively low temperature in which most of the Iodine is present as molecular Iodine. The additive component is preferably an Iodine compound that either absorbs heat during decomposition such as Iodine Pentoxide (I2O5) or an Iodine compound that absorbs heat during sublimation such as solid Iodine.

Abstract: A system for wavefront correction in an ultra high power laser. As the laser medium flows past the optical excitation source and the fluid warms its index of refraction changes creating an optical wedge. A system is provided for correcting the thermally induced optical phase errors.

Abstract: Thermally induced distortion of the optical wavefront caused by heating of the laser media by waste heat from the excitation process and absorption of laser radiation creates optical phase errors. A system generates an error signal derived from the optical phase errors. The error signal is fed back to the power supplies driving semiconductor diodes that excite the lasing liquid thereby introducing an electrically controllable wedge into the optical cavity to correct the optical phase errors.

Abstract: A selective emitter pumped rare earth laser provides an additional type of laser for use in many laser applications. Rare earth doped lasers exist which are pumped with flashtubes or laser diodes. The invention uses a rare earth emitter to transform thermal energy input to a spectral band matching the absorption band of a rare earth in the laser in order to produce lasing.

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: A method is provided to control the lasing wavelength of a laser material without changing or adjusting the mechanical components of a laser device. The rate at which the laser material is pumped with the pumping energy is controlled so that lasing occurs at one or more lasing wavelengths based on the rate. The lasing wavelengths are determined by transition lifetimes and/or energy transfer rates.

Abstract: A system for thermally stimulating a laser emissive device comprises a thermal generating device, a photon emissive device that is capable of generating photons upon exposure to thermal energy, a laser emissive source, and an optical waveguide interposed between the photon emissive source and laser emissive source to direct photons to the laser emissive source to effect photon stimulation of the same. The waveguide may be in the form of a light pipe comprising the photon emissive material, which material is disposed within the thermal energy source. The photon emissive material is selected to produce a specific wavelength of photons that are collected within and directed through the optical waveguide to a laser rod. The photons routed to the laser rod stimulate a specific wavelength laser emission. If desired, the system can also be used with more than one target, e.g., more than one laser device, or a photovoltaic cell to produce electricity.

Abstract: An electric power supply for a laser includes a heating module (44) connected to the electrodes (16,18) of an enclosure (12) containing an active material, and supplies an electric pulse for the vaporization of the active material. An excitation module (14) supplies an electric pulse for exciting the active material. As the operation of the laser is repetitive, the excitation pulse preionizes the active material with a view to triggering the heating pulse.

Abstract: A flowing gas laser, of the kind in which gas flows continuously through the lasing region and is circulated through the heat exchanger for cooling before being returned to the lasing region, comprises a resonator module and a blower module. The optical components of the laser are mounted on an outer surface of the resonator module, and the resonator module has an interior structure for conducting the circulating gas to the lasing region. The blower module has heat exchange structure for cooling the circulating gas and has a blower for pumping the circulating gas. The blower module is physically separated from the resonator module to prevent the heat and vibration of the blower module from distorting or otherwise affecting the structure or the performance of the optical components. Ducting the interconnects the resonator module and the blower module for circulating the gas between these modules.

Abstract: A device and method for optically pumping a gaseous laser using blackbody radiation produced by a plasma channel which is formed from an electrical discharge between two electrodes spaced at opposite longitudinal ends of the laser. A preionization device which can comprise a laser or electron beam accelerator produces a preionization beam which is sufficient to cause an electrical discharge between the electrodes to initiate the plasma channel along the preionization path. The optical pumping energy is supplied by a high voltage power supply rather than by the preionization beam. High output optical intensities are produced by the laser due to the high temperature blackbody radiation produced by the plasma channel, in the same manner as an exploding wire type laser. However, unlike the exploding wire type laser, the disclosed invention can be operated in a repetitive manner by utilizing a repetitive pulsed preionization device.

Abstract: A thermally pumped laser. The laser features an emitter, a collector spaced apart from the emitter, and reflecting elements adjacent to the space between the emitter and collector to form a cavity. A heat source is provided for heating the emitter to drive electrons from the emitter to the collector. Vapor such as cesium vapor is disposed in the cavity between the emitter and the collector to form the lasing medium. An additive selected to be in resonance with specific excited states of the atoms may be intermixed with the chosen vapor. The additive assists in depopulating the specific states of the atoms, thereby creating or enhancing a population inversion in the atoms of the vapor so that lasing may occur. The laser may be operated both in a pulsed and in a d.c. mode.