Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus to dynamically control the resonator gain of a laser

US5204867A · kind A · utility

27Cited by
6References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 10, 1991
Grant dateApr 20, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 10, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/115
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method or apparatus for controlling the output pulse of a Q-switched laser. The intensity of laser light within the resonator of a Q-switch laser is sensed. A reference pulse related to a desired laser output pulse shape is compared with the sensed intensity. A variation signal corresponding to differences between the sensed light intensity and the reference pulse is fed to a Pockels cell or Q-switch within the resonator. The Q-switch responds to the variation signal by altering the resonator laser light polarization to maintain the Q-switch laser's output pulse in the desired shape. The reference pulse may be dynamically altered to change the shape of the output pulse.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.