Laser amplifying system

US5553088A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• Deutsche Forschungsanstalt Fur Luft-Und Raumfahrt E.V. · DE
• Universitaet Stuttgart Institut fuer Strahlwerkzeuge · DE

Inventors

• Uwe Brauch · Heitersheim, DE
• Adolf Giesen · Renningen, DE
• Andreas Voss · Essen, DE
• Klaus Wittig · Bobingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 22, 1993
• Grant date: Sep 3, 1996
• Expiry date: Dec 22, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/2333
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A laser amplifying system is provided having a solid body arranged in a laser radiation field and including a laser active material that is pumped with a pumping light source. The solid body has a cooling surface and transfers heat created therein to a solid cooling element via the cooling surface. In this manner, a temperature gradient results in the solid body in a direction towards the cooling surface. The solid cooling element forms a carrier for the solid body. The laser radiation field propagates approximately parallel to the temperature gradient in the solid body. By enabling heat to be transferred to the solid cooling element via the cooling surface, this structure enables the solid body to be pumped at a high pumping power. Further, since the laser radiation field propagates approximately parallel to the temperature gradient in the solid body, the radiation field sees the same temperature gradient in all cross-sectional areas. Thus, the temperature gradient does not lead to an adverse effect on the beam quality of the laser radiation field at high pumping power.