Waveguide laser

US5640411A · kind A · utility

Assignee

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

Inventors

• Hansjoerg Bochum · Leinfelden, DE
• Markus Jung · Gießen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 7, 1995
• Grant date: Jun 17, 1997
• Expiry date: Nov 7, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/105
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A waveguide laser comprises a laser-active medium, a pump source for the laser-active medium and a resonator with a waveguide extending in an axial direction and formed from a cylindrical, outer optical waveguide surface and a cylindrical, inner optical waveguide surface. A resonator radiation field extends substantially parallel to the axial direction between the outer and inner optical waveguide surfaces. The waveguide laser further comprises two cavity mirrors between which the resonator radiation field extends and of which at least a first mirror comprises successive maximum and minimum reflectivity values in a direction azimuthal to the axial direction. The maximum and minimum reflectivity values of the first cavity mirror, viewed in the azimuthal direction, are arranged at the location of maximum and minimum intensities of a selected azimuthally closed mode of the resonator, which mode is enclosed by the resonator radiation field. Intermediate regions, in which the reflectivity is between the maximum and minimum values, extend in the azimuthal direction between the successive maximum and minimum values.