High extraction efficiency cylindrical ring resonator
US4598408A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 1984 |
| Grant date | Jul 1, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/0813
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An annular ring resonator for a high-energy laser, including a waxicon/reflaxicon pair and a conical rear mirror, which combine to provide high energy extraction efficiency, reduced sensitivity to alignment errors, and no polarization state mixing. A cylindrical beam returned from a scraper mirror is first expanded by the waxicon to an annular beam that makes a first pass through a gain region of the laser. The annular beam impinges on the conical mirror and is reflected as an annular beam, to make a second pass of the gain region before encountering the reflaxicon, which compacts the beam for transmission to the scraper mirror. One embodiment employs a double-cone rear mirror, and another employs a single conical surface. The structure may also employ feedback decentering.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.