Two-mirror shaping of a non-circular optical pumping beam and lasers using same
US4947402A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 25, 1988 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 25, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/09415
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In a laser, the laser gain member is optically pumped by a semiconductive source of pumping radiation having an elongated output beam aperture such as that provided by a single-wide stripe diode or diode array. The elongated beam of optical pumping radiation is twice reflected from a concave surface at non-normal angles of incidence and then focused onto the laser gain material for pumping same. The reflections serve to differentially focus rays diverging in the vertical plane from rays diverging in the horizontal plane to shape the pumping beam for improved pumping efficiency in the pumped mode volume of the laser gain material. In a preferred embodiment, a magnifying lens is disposed inbetween the source and the reflectors for decreasing the divergence of the pumping beam.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.