Method and apparatus for generating ultrashort light pulses
US4972423A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 30, 1988 |
| Grant date | Nov 20, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 30, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/30
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating a light pulse having a duration as short as about 3 picoseconds is disclosed. A 5 mJ 25 picosecond second harmonic light pulse from a Nd:YAG laser system is focused into a 5 cm cell filled with D.sub.2 O so as to generate a continuum light pulse spanning about 150 nanometers with an average energy of at least 20 nd/nm across the spectrum. The continuum light pulse is fed through a 10 nanometer narrowband filter centered at 580 nanometers, producing an output pulse having a duration of about 3 picoseconds. The pulse so produced has a number of uses including as a seed pulse for dye laser oscillators and solid state amplifiers or as a pump source for pumping ultrashort dye lasers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.