Laser amplifier
US5021742A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 1988 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/2383
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
This invention relates to a laser amplifier which achieves substantially enhanced gains by diverging the laser beam in a gain medium having a substantially rectangular shape. In particular, at least one laser beam is passed through a lens or other suitable means to cause it to diverge at a predetermined angle and the diverging beam or beams are caused to pass through the gain medium in a manner such that a beam makes only a single pass through any section of the medium, with the total number of passes through the medium by the beam(s) applied to the medium being an even number. The angle at which the beam diverges should be such as to maintain a near optimum laser power extraction efficiency for the beam. If a single beam is supplied to the medium, it makes an even number of passes through the medium with mirrors, prisms, or other suitable means being provided as the beam exits the medium after each pass except the last pass to fold the beam back into the medium for a subsequent pass. The invention operates in a similar manner where two or more laser beams are applied to the medium.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.