Abstract:
Atoms in a neodymium:glass rod (20) are excited to a substantially spatially uniform metastable state by flashlamps (21). A flowing fluid (26) cools the flashlamps, but not the rod; so that low temperature gradients are maintained in the rod during isothermal laser operation. Automatic control means (22) turn off the electrical power supply (24) when the temperature in the rod reaches a predetermined limit. A flowing fluid (23) then cools the rod, at a rate low enough to avoid thermal stress therein, while it is not lasing. Segments of reflectors (25) focus the pump photons in the rod so as to substantially balance the cylindrical lensing action of the rod against the radial attenuation through it, and thus to provide substantially uniform density of stored energy in the rod.
Abstract:
The active material (10) is pumped from the light (11) of a gas discharge lamp (12). The performance of the laser is enhanced and the service life of the gas discharge lamp (12) is prolonged by exciting the said lamp at high frequency.
Abstract:
A high power source of electro-magnetic radiation having a multi-purpose housing is disclosed. The multi-purpose housing includes an interior filled with a material forming at least a light source and further comprising a reflector which can envelope a laser rod surrounded by light sources for providing light excitation to the laser rod. A material defining outer surfaces of the light sources extends out to and defines outer surfaces of the reflector. A high-reflectivity coating is disposed over an outer surface of the reflector, as is a protective coating. Also disposed over an outer surface of the reflector can he an optional heat sink, with cooling being performed by an optional arrangement of forced-air traveling over the heat sink. The light sources may be light source pumps, and the high-reflectivity coating may be formed to envelop the reflector.
Abstract:
An exciting radiation source (4) is arranged on or near one focal axis X-X of an elliptic cylinder or cone composed chiefly of quartz, and an amplification medium (3) is arranged on or near the other focal axis Y-Y. The exciting light falls on the amplification medium efficiently because of the geometrical property that light from one focus of an ellipse converges on the other focus.
Abstract:
A pulsed solid state laser system (10) is disclosed which utilizes a plurality of individual laser rods (11-14) which are sequentially pumped and whose beams are combined into a single interleaved ouput beam (34). The individual laser rods (11-14) are pumped at an average power level which is below that for maximum output power from each rod, thereby obviating the need for refrigeration cooling. A compact optical system is disclosed which permits a constant beam size even at different pump levels and other advantages. A compact cooling system is also disclosed.
Abstract:
Solid state lasers are disclosed herein. An example laser disclosed herein includes a monolithic body having a first end and a second end. The monolithic body includes a first reflector disposed on the first end, a second reflector disposed on the second end, and a solid state gain medium and a Q-switch disposed between the first reflector and the second reflector. The example laser also includes a pump source to cause a population inversion in the solid state gain medium to cause the monolithic body to output a laser pulse. Various applications of the solid state laser are also disclosed herein.
Abstract:
In order to increase the focussing efficiency in focussing the light from at least two pumping light sources (4, 6) on to the laser-active medium (2) of a laser, in particular a solid-state laser, the laser is fitted with a reflector assembly (10) whose surface (12) is made up of several zones (14, 15) designed to focus the light from each pumping light source (4, 6) on the laser-active medium (2), the curvature of each zone corresponding to two uconfocal ellipses of different eccentricity.
Abstract:
A flash-lamp envelope for a solid state flash lamp pumped laser in which the flash-lamp envelope is an extrusion- shaped optically transparent housing designed to act both as a glass sealing envelope and an optical coupler, efficiently transferring radiation from the flash lamp to a solid lasing rod.