US5084880A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Erbium-doped fluorozirconate fiber laser pumped by a diode laser source
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
•
Filing: 1990-07-02
•
Granted: 1992-01-28
•
Expires: 2010-07-02
Abstract
Abstract A room temperature laser system for producing a CW Laser emission at substantially 2.7 microns is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the laser system comprises a laser diode source for producing a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; and a fiber laser doped with erbium activator ions to produce an output CW laser emission at a wavelength in the range of 2.71-2.78 microns when the fiber laser is pumped by the CW pump beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Leon Esterowitz
- 👤 Roger E. Allen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 23:47
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/067; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094003; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/17; H01S3/173
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A laser system comprising: a fiber laser having a length of host fiber doped with erbium activator ions to produce an output CW laser emission at a wavelength in the range of 2.71-2.78 microns when said fiber laser is pumped by a CW pump beam; and laser pump means for emitting a CW pump beam at a wavelength that will be absorbed by the erbium activator ions in either or both of the 4 I 15/2- 4 I 9/2 and 4 I 15/2- 4 I 11/2 adsorption bands of the erbium in said fiber laser.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A laser system comprising: a fiber laser having a length of host fiber doped with erbium activator ions to produce an output CW laser emission at a wavelength in the range of 2.71-2.78 microns when said fiber laser is pumped by a CW pump beam; and laser pump means for emitting a CW pump beam at a wavelength that will be absorbed by the erbium activator ions in either or both of the 4 I 15/2- 4 I 9/2 and 4 I 15/2- 4 I 11/2 adsorption bands of the erbium in said fiber laser.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said host fiber comprises a single-mode host fiber having a length between 20 cm and 120 cm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said fiber laser is selected from the group consisting of fluorozirconate fiber and fluorophosphate fiber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said laser pump means is comprised of an InGaAs laser diode source which lases at a wavelength of about 970 nm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said laser pump means is comprised of an InGaAlP laser diode source which lases at a wavelength in the range of 630 nm-670 nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said laser pump means is comprised of a GaAlAs laser diode source which lases at a wavelength in the range of 780 nm--830 nm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The laser system of claim 6 wherein: said GaAlAs laser diode source lases at a wavelength of substantially 792 nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said laser pump means is comprised of a titanium laser source which lases in the range of 660 nm--1000 nm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said laser pump means is an InGaAlP laser diode array for developing said CW pump beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said erbium activator ions have a mole percentage in the range of 0.01%-3.0% in the fiber laser.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said erbium activator ions have a mole percentage in the range of 0.1%-1.0% in the fiber laser.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said erbium activator ions have a mole percentage of substantially 0.5% in the fiber laser.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said fiber laser is comprised of a fluorophosphate fiber doped with erbium activator ions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said erbium-doped fiber laser is responsive to said CW pump beam at a wavelength of substantially 792 nm for producing a laser emission corresponding to the 4 I 15/2-- 4 I 13/2 laser transition having the wavelength of substantially 2.7 microns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
95 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein said fiber laser includes: a first mirror being highly transmissive to said CW pump beam at said preselected wavelength and being highly reflective to said wavelength of said output CW laser emission; a second mirror having a lower transmissivity than said first mirror at said wavelength of said output CW laser emission; and said erbium-doped host fiber having first and second ends respectively butt-coupled to said first and second mirrors; said erbium-doped fiber laser being responsive to said CW pump beam for producing said output CW laser emission.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The laser system of claim 15 wherein: said first mirror has a high transmissivity to the wavelength of said CW pump beam and a reflectivity of about 98% to a wavelength in the range of 2.71-2.78 microns.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The laser system of claim 16 wherein: said second mirror has a reflectivity of between 4% and 98% to a wavelength in the range of 2.71-2.78 microns.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The laser system of claim 16 wherein: said second mirror has a reflectivity of between 80% and 98% to a wavelength in the range of 2.71-2.78 microns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser system of claim 16 wherein: said second mirror has a reflectivity of substantially 98% to a wavelength in the range of 2.71-2.78 microns.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The laser system of claim 15 wherein: said erbium-doped host fiber has a length of at least 20 cm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The laser system of claim 15 wherein: said second mirror has a transmissivity of substantially 80%; and said fiber laser produces an output laser emission at substantially 2.7 microns at a slope efficiency of at least 3%.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
The laser system of claim 15 further including : a resonant cavity formed with said erbium-doped host fiber in said cavity and said first and second mirrors disposed at opposite ends of said host fiber to define the limits of said cavity, said resonant cavity having losses of 4% or less.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein said laser pump means comprises: a laser diode array for emitting the CW pump beam at the preselected wavelength; and optical means responsive to said CW pump beam for directing said CW pump beam into said fiber laser.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said laser pump means comprises a single mode diode laser.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser system of claim 1 wherein: said fiber laser produces an output laser emission at substantially 2.7 microns at a slope efficiency of approximately 12%.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for producing an output CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns, said method comprising the steps of: producing a CW laser radiation in a fiber laser doped with erbium to lase at a wavelength of substantially 2.7 microns; and continuously pumping the fiber laser with a CW pump radiation to enable the fiber laser to produce the CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for producing an output CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns, said method comprising the steps of: producing a CW laser radiation in a fiber laser doped with erbium to lase at a wavelength of substantially 2.7 microns; and continuously pumping the fiber laser with a CW pump radiation to enable the fiber laser to produce the CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said producing step includes the steps of: utilizing a fluorozirconate glass fiber in the fiber laser; and doping the fluorozirconate glass fiber with erbium activator ions to enable the fiber laser to develop a CW radiation at substantially 2.7 microns.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 27 wherein said continuously pumping step includes the step of: using a laser diode to continuously pump the erbium-doped fiber laser with a CW pump radiation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
72 words
A laser system comprising: a fiber laser including a gain medium fiber doped with erbium to lase at a wavelength of approximately 2.7 microns, and resonant cavity means for forming a resonant cavity with said gain medium fiber in said resonant cavity, said resonant cavity means including an output coupler for outputting CW laser radiation at approximately 2.7 microns; and means for continuously providing CW pump radiation into said gain medium fiber.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
72 words
A laser system comprising: a fiber laser including a gain medium fiber doped with erbium to lase at a wavelength of approximately 2.7 microns, and resonant cavity means for forming a resonant cavity with said gain medium fiber in said resonant cavity, said resonant cavity means including an output coupler for outputting CW laser radiation at approximately 2.7 microns; and means for continuously providing CW pump radiation into said gain medium fiber.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
69 words
The laser system of claim 29 wherein said resonant cavity means further includes: first and second mirrors disposed at opposite ends of said gain medium fiber, said first mirror having a high transmissivity to said CW pump radiation and a high reflectivity to said CW laser radiation, and said second mirror having a lower transmissivity than said first mirror to said CW laser radiation to form said output coupler.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The laser of claim 29 wherein: said means for continuously providing CW pump radiation is a laser diode source.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for producing a CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns, said method comprising the steps of: optically pumping Er 3+ lasant ions of a gain medium in a fiber laser with the CW pump radiation from a laser diode source; developing a laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns from a laser transition of the optically pumped Er 3+ lasant ions; and producing an output CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for producing a CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns, said method comprising the steps of: optically pumping Er 3+ lasant ions of a gain medium in a fiber laser with the CW pump radiation from a laser diode source; developing a laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns from a laser transition of the optically pumped Er 3+ lasant ions; and producing an output CW laser radiation at substantially 2.7 microns.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 31 wherein the step of optically pumping the Er 3+ lasant ions of the gain medium includes the step of: directing the CW pump radiation from the laser diode source into the gain medium of the fiber laser.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-01-27 | 1995-07-29 | 1996-01-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-01-27 | 1999-07-29 | 2000-01-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-01-27 | 2003-07-29 | 2004-01-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |