Self-modulated, filament-based, solid state laser
US6370219B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 20, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/3402
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A self-modulated solid state laser comprises an intracavity optical waveguide that supports a multiplicity of lasing filaments each at a different optical frequency. At least two of the filaments temporally beat with one another so as to modulate the intensity of the laser output. In accordance with one embodiment of our invention, the waveguide supports a multiplicity of transverse modes, and the laser includes a mode mixing mechanism that mixes the energy of at least two pairs of the modes, each coupled pair generating a separate filament. In an illustrative embodiment, the filaments are mode locked and the laser output is modulated at a frequency on the order of 1 THz.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.