Wave guide laser having a resonator mirror with successive reflecting segments and out coupling openings arranged in an azimuthal direction

US5373525A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Deutsche Forschungsanstalt Fur Luft-Und Raumfahrt E.V. · DE

Inventors

• Rolf Nowack · Leonberg, DE
• Hans Opower · Krailling, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 29, 1993
• Grant date: Dec 13, 1994
• Expiry date: Jan 29, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/0315
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In order to improve a wave guide laser comprising a wave guide arranged between two resonator mirrors and having an outer cylindrical wave guide surface and an inner cylindrical wave guide surface facing the outer surface and arranged within this outer surface in spaced relation thereto, the two surfaces together forming a wave guide having a radiation coherent in the entire wave guide and essentially expanding in axial direction, and a high-frequency excited and diffusion-cooled laser gas arranged between the wave guide surfaces, such that the high-power Laser beam can be outcoupled by an element which is constructionally simple to produce and inexpensive, it is suggested that the second resonator mirror be composed in azimuthal direction of a plurality of successive reflecting segments, that outcoupling openings for the laser radiation to be outcoupled be provided between the respective reflecting segments and that the entire radiation expanding in the wave guide be diffraction-coupled in azimuthal direction.