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US4860304A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Solid state microlaser

Assignee: LMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY A MASSACHUSETTS CORP
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Filing: 1988-02-02
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Granted: 1989-08-22
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Expires: 2008-02-02
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Abstract

Abstract A solid state gain medium is disposed between two mirrors to form a resonant cavity, the cavity length selected so that the gain bandwidth of the gain medium is less than the frequency separation of the cavity modes. By selecting this cavity length, only a single longitudinal mode will oscillate when the laser operates in a single transverse mode. The microlaser is optically pumped by any appropriate source such as a semiconductor injection laser or laser array. Suitable gain media are Nd:YAG and Nd pentaphosphate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Aram Mooradian

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 16:50
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/0627; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/0941; H01S3/09415; H01S3/02; H01S3/025; H01S3/0602; H01S3/0604; H01S3/08; H01S3/08018; H01S3/08022; H01S3/08031; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1611; H01S3/163; H01S3/164; H01S3/1643; H01S3/1688

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 40 words
Solid state, optically pumped microlaser comprising: a solid state gain medium disposed between two mirrors, the distance between the mirrors selected so that the gain bandwidth of the gain medium is less than the frequency separation of the cavity modes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 40 words
Solid state, optically pumped microlaser comprising: a solid state gain medium disposed between two mirrors, the distance between the mirrors selected so that the gain bandwidth of the gain medium is less than the frequency separation of the cavity modes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 44 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the distance, l, between the mirrors satisfies the inequality: l<c/2nν g where c is the speed of light, n is the refractive index in the gain medium, and ν g is the gain bandwidth of the gain medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the mirrors are in the form of coatings deposited directly on opposing surfaces of the gain medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the mirrors are separate elements bonded to opposing surfaces of the gain medium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 11 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the gain medium is Nd:YAG.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 12 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the gain medium is Nd pentaphosphate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the gain medium is Nd:YAG and the separation between mirrors is in the range of several hundred μm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 25 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the gain medium is Nd pentaphosphate and the separation between the mirrors is in the range of 10-100 μ'm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
The microlaser of claim 1 futher including a semiconductor diode laser adjacent to the microlaser for optically pumping the microlaser.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 15 words
The microlaser of claim 9 wherein the microlaser is bonded to the semiconductor diode laser.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
The microlaser of claim 1 wherein the gain medium and mirrors form a Fabry-Perot type resonator at the frequency at which the microlaser is optically pumped.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
The microlaser of claim 3 wherein the coatings have high reflectivity at the wavelength at which the gain medium is optically pumped.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
The microlaser of claim 9 wherein the mirrors include dielectric coatings having high reflectivity at the semiconductor diode pump laser frequency.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4002725A Cited
US4734912A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-08-21 1993-02-20 1993-08-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-08-21 1997-02-20 1997-08-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-08-21 2001-02-20 2001-08-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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