Extended multiply folded optical paths
US5610936A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 1995 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/2232
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A waveguide carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) laser includes a six-sided laser block comprising first and second triangular end sections and a rectangular insert block. The two triangular end sections include a waveguide grid comprising two sets of parallel waveguide channels intersecting at right angles and optically coupled by strip mirrors disposed along the edges of the triangular sections. The rectangular insert block also includes a set of parallel waveguide channels which are congruent with and aligned parallel to the waveguide channels of the two triangular end sections, thereby extending the cavity length of a multiply folded waveguide laser without a corresponding increase in the number of optical folds, the number of folding mirrors, or the value of distributed loss.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.