High repetition rate pulsed laser
US5272713A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 27, 1992 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 27, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/2316
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A pulsed laser system capable of operating at higher repetition rates, while maintaining the efficiency and beam quality of the output pulses comprises first and second gain media with one or more pump energy transducers, such as flashlamps, coupled with each of the gain media. A power supply generates a first sequence of pulses of input power and a second sequence of pulses of input power which drive respective subsets of the pump energy transducers in an independent timing relationship. Thus, two non-aligned 50 Hz sequences of input pulses which are interleaved generate an output pulse stream at 100 Hz from the laser system with the efficiency, beam quality, and average power comparable to that of a 50 Hz laser. By pumping subsets of the pump energy transducers coupled to a laser system in an interleaved fashion, higher repetition rates may be achieved with better output beam quality and higher average power than has been obtainable with prior art systems. The non-aligned timing also allows for variable pulse timing offsets.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.