End-pumped alignment and temperature insensitive laser target designator and marker

US8798105B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc. · US

Inventors

• John C. McCarthy · Compton, US
• Katherine J. Snell · Nashua, US
• Christopher A. Miller · Midland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 18, 2012
• Grant date: Aug 5, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 18, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/423
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A compact, lightweight, laser target designator uses a TIR bounce geometry to place an end-pumped gain element functionally in the center of the resonator path, thereby allowing the resonator path to be terminated by a pair of crossed Porro prisms, so that the designator produces a high quality beam that is insensitive to alignment and temperature, and is low in manufacturing cost. Some embodiments fold the Porro legs of the resonator path back toward the gain element for compactness. Embodiments use a single gain element as both an oscillator gain element with TIR and as an output amplifier gain element without TIR. Various embodiments use block optical elements in a planar layout on a standard support medium such as aluminum to facilitate automated manufacturing.