Solid-state laser oscillator with gain media in active mirror configuration
US6603793B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 5, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/105
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for achieving a near diffraction-limited, high-average power output from a solid-state laser oscillator are provided. The solid-state laser uses multiple disk-shaped laser gain media having a large optical aperture placed in an unstable resonator. The laser gain media is provided with optical coatings for operation in the active mirror configuration and is attached to a rigid, cooled substrate, which allows it to maintain a prescribed shape even when experiencing significant thermal load. The resonator is configured so as to preferentially support low order optical modes with transverse dimensions sufficiently large to efficiently fill the gain media apertures. Resonator configurations capable of producing standing wave or traveling wave optical fields are disclosed. The resonator may include means for intracavity correction of an optical phase front by adaptive optics. Also disclosed is an arrangement of resonator gain elements in axisymmetric arrays suitable for integration into a compact and lightweight laser system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.