Power laser with uncoated diamond window

US5335245A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude · FR

Inventors

• Bruno Marie · Tarare, FR
• Daniel Guerin · Chelles, FR
• Christian Larquet · Guyancourt, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 17, 1993
• Grant date: Aug 2, 1994
• Expiry date: Feb 17, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/034
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A power laser has a cavity (2) delimited at its opposite ends by a first partially transmitting window (3) and a second reflecting window ( 4). The first window (3) is constituted by at least one diamond wafer (5) with uncoated flat parallel surfaces, having a controlled thickness whose variations do not exceed 0.2 micron. The diamond wafer (5; 6) is mounted in an annular support (9; 10) of material which is a good heat conductor and is provided with a cooler (11; 12). The window (3) can comprise two parallel wafers (5.sub.A, 5.sub.B) of diamond separated by a calibrated distance (14) which is an uneven multiple of .lambda./4n, .lambda. being the laser wavelength and n the index of refraction of the medium between the wafers. Or the second window (4) can also be constituted by a diamond wafer (6) with a reflective metallic coating (60). A sweeping gas can be blown over the internal surface of at least one of the windows.