Composite polymer-glass edge cladding for laser disks
US4849036A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 2, 1987 |
| Grant date | Jul 18, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 2, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/31518
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Large neodymium glass laser disks for disk amplifiers such as those used in the Nova laser require an edge cladding which absorbs at 1 micrometer. This cladding prevents edge reflections from causing parasitic oscillations which would otherwise deplete the gain. Nova now utilizes volume-absorbing monolithic-glass claddings which are fused at high temperature to the disks. These perform quite well but are expensive to produce. Absorbing glass strips are adhesively bonded to the edges of polygonal disks using a bonding agent whose index of refraction matches that of both the laser and absorbing glass. Optical finishing occurs after the strips are attached. Laser disks constructed with such claddings have shown identical gain performance to the previous Nova disks and have been tested for hundreds of shots without significant degradation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.