Patent · US Expired

Self-regenerative laser oscillator-amplifier

US4344042A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
10References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 3, 1980
Grant dateAug 10, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 3, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/10076
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus is provided which includes a laser oscillator for providing light along a first optical path, and a laser amplifier for amplifying light along a second optical path. Means for coupling light between the first and second optical paths is disposed at one end of the laser amplifier, and a nonlinear medium disposed at the other end thereof for intercepting light provided along the first and second optical paths. The laser oscillator provides a single-mode laser beam along the first optical path which is made incident upon the nonlinear medium from substantially opposite directions. A portion of the beam from the laser oscillator is coupled through the laser amplifier, which forms a probe beam that samples the laser amplifier system. This beam further impinges upon the nonlinear medium and interacts with the counter-propagating laser beams therein. A phase-conjugated beam is reflected from the nonlinear medium and is amplified by the amplifying medium providing a single-mode output beam of the laser amplifier system. A portion of the phase conjugated beam is reflected back into the oscillator and used as the counter-propagating pump beams for the phase conjugation process. Thi…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.