Abstract:
A solid laser amplification device having a laser medium that has a solid medium, into which a laser light enters and from which the laser light is emitted, and an amplification layer, provided on the surface of the medium, receives the laser light in the medium, and amplifies and reflects the light toward the exit; and a microchannel cooling part that has a plurality of cooling pipelines, into which a cooling solvent is conducted and which are arranged parallel to the surface of the amplification layer, and a cooling surface, at the outer periphery of the cooling pipelines and attached on the surface of the amplification layer, the microchannel cooling part cooling the amplification layer. The closer the position of the cooling pipeline to a position facing a section of the amplification layer that receives the laser light, the greater the cooling force exhibited by the cooling part.
Abstract:
A method of operating a q-switch RE,XAB laser includes: providing a pump bias current to a pump source, the pump source directed to an RE:XAB gain medium, the RE:XAB gain medium within a resonator cavity, where X is selected from Ca, Lu, Yb, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Ga, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and where RE is selected from Lu, Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Pr, Tm, Cr, Ho, with a bias current level below a lasing threshold of the RE:XAB gain medium; providing a pump pulse to the gain medium, the pump pulse of the lasing threshold of the RE:XAB gain medium, the pump pulse causing the RE:XAB gain medium to emit a laser pulse; and reducing the pump bias current to at least below the gain medium lasing threshold, the combination of the pump bias, the pump pulse, and the pump reduction having a current profile.
Abstract:
A compact laser is provided for in accordance with an exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure includes a compact resonator structure using a non-planar geometry of bulk components. The laser includes a preferred rotational direction of lasing modes and employs bulk components for establishing the preferred rotational direction of lasing modes within resonator. In some embodiments, the preferred rotational direction of lasing modes is established using a reflective element that is outside the resonator structure. In some embodiments, the reflective element induces polarization shifts in the reflected light that are compensated for by a wave plate, which may be outside the resonator structure.
Abstract:
A light concentrator includes a luminescent concentrator and a gain medium. The luminescent concentrator includes a semiconductor material and the semiconductor material absorbs first photons. The first photons have energy greater than or equal to a threshold energy, and the semiconductor material emits second photons through a spontaneous emission process where the second photons have less energy than the first photons. The gain medium is optically coupled to the luminescent concentrator to receive the second photons. The gain medium absorbs the second photons, and in response to absorbing the second photons, the gain medium emits third photons through a stimulated emission process. The third photons have less energy than the second photons.
Abstract:
A laser rod assembly includes a first and second laser rod embedded in a cladding material. The assembly has a first end and a second end. The laser rods generate laser light at λlaser (λlaser light) when pumped by pump power at λpump. A reflecting outer surface at λpump is on or over a majority of an outer surface of the cladding material. Fold optic(s) on the second end provides optical coupling between the laser rods. An optical resonator includes a highly reflecting (HR) mirror at λlaser over an end of the first laser rod on the first end and an output coupler over an end of the second laser rod also on the first end.
Abstract:
An optical amplifier which integrates a pre-amplifier and a power amplifier in a single rectangular active medium to enable amplification of low power ultra-short pulses to optimal power levels. A seed beam passes through the amplification medium along a first pre-amplification path making multiple traverses of the medium. It is imaged back along the first path to make a double pass of the medium as a pre-amplifier. The beam is then re-imaged into the medium again on a second power amplification path, making multiple traverses of the medium in a single pass. The paths are independent but overlap so that efficient power extraction is achieved. Embodiments based on all passive components are described.
Abstract:
When an excitation light is entered in a laser medium including a doped (containing rare earth element) YAG, the vicinity of the excitation light entry face is locally heated which generates a birefringence, causing degradation of linear polarization of emitted laser. To avoid such a phenomenon, it was necessary to make the excitation light pulsed and slow down the repetition rate of the pulse. In this device, an undoped YAG is bonded to a excitation light entry face of the laser medium made of a doped YAG. By arranging the YAG axis so as to extend along the optical axis of the laser oscillation system, a linearly polarized pulse laser can be obtained.
Abstract:
A laser gain element including an undoped layer of a monoclinic double tungstate (MDT) crystal, and a method of forming a laser gain element are provided. The laser gain element includes a layer of doped MDT crystal adjacent to the undoped layer, the doped MDT layer including a pre-selected concentration of rare earth ions. The layer of doped MDT crystal has an absorption peak at a first wavelength and an emission peak at a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength; and the layer of doped MDT crystal has a fluorescence emission with a weighted average at a third wavelength shorter than the first wavelength. A laser resonator cavity formed with a plurality of composite gain elements as above is also provided.
Abstract:
An optical gain architecture includes a pump source and a pump aperture. The architecture also includes a gain region including a gain element operable to amplify light at a laser wavelength. The gain region is characterized by a first side intersecting an optical path, a second side opposing the first side, a third side adjacent the first and second sides, and a fourth side opposing the third side. The architecture further includes a dichroic section disposed between the pump aperture and the first side of the gain region. The dichroic section is characterized by low reflectance at a pump wavelength and high reflectance at the laser wavelength. The architecture additionally includes a first cladding section proximate to the third side of the gain region and a second cladding section proximate to the fourth side of the gain region.
Abstract:
Described herein are devices and techniques for suppressing parasitic modes in planar waveguide amplifier structures. One or more of the side and end facets of a planar waveguide amplifier are angled with respect to a fast axis defined in a transverse plane perpendicular to a core region. A relationship between glancing in-plane angles of incidence and threshold bevel angles θT can be used to select side bevel angles θS to suppress parasitics by redirecting amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from the core. It is possible to select the one or more bevel angles θS to be great enough to substantially redirect all but ballistic photons of any guided modes, effectively narrowing a numerical aperture of the planar waveguide amplifier along a slow axis, defined in a transverse plane perpendicular to the fast axis. Beneficially, such improvements can be realized for three part waveguide structures (e.g., cladding-core-cladding), with substantially smooth edge facets.