US5268920A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for end-pumping a solid state laser using a large aperture laser diode bar
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1991-11-06
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Granted: 1993-12-07
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Expires: 2011-11-06
Abstract
Abstract An optical system for end-pumping the gain medium of a three-level or a self-terminating solid state laser with the optical output from a wide aperture laser diode bar is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the optical system includes: a laser diode bar for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and an optical assembly disposed between the laser diode bar and the three-level solid state laser for collecting and focusing the bright light into a relatively small high-intensity spot to end-pump the gain medium of the three-level or self-terminating solid state laser.
Inventors
- 👤 Leon Esterowitz
- 👤 Robert C. Stoneman
- 👤 James G. Lynn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:27
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/0941; H01S3/09415; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4249; G02B6/425; H01S5/00; H01S5/40; H01S5/4025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof at least a 10 watt output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof at least a 10 watt output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical system of claim 1 wherein: said laser pumping means is pulsed to produce pulses of output bright light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
94 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser diode pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof an output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser diode pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser, and wherein: said solid state laser is a three-level laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
94 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser diode pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof an output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser diode pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser, and wherein: said solid state laser is a three-level laser.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
121 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser diode pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof an output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser diode pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser, said optical means including: a plurality of cylindrical lenses to substantially collimate said output bright light; and a plurality of spherical lenses to focus said substantially collimated output bright light into said relatively small high intensity spot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
121 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser diode pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof an output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser diode pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser, said optical means including: a plurality of cylindrical lenses to substantially collimate said output bright light; and a plurality of spherical lenses to focus said substantially collimated output bright light into said relatively small high intensity spot.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The optical system of claim 4 wherein: each of said plurality of cylindrical lenses and said plurality of spherical lenses is coaxially aligned in sequence with the other lenses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical system of claim 4 wherein: said laser diode pumping means includes a laser diode bar containing a plurality of separate laser diode arrays.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
117 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser diode pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof an output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser diode pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser, and wherein: said active dopant ions have physical properties such that the end-pumping of said solid state laser produces a stimulated emission corresponding to a three-level optical transition for said active dopant ions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
117 words
An optical system for end-pumping a gain medium containing active dopant ions in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said optical system comprising: laser diode pumping means for producing from an elongated area thereof an output bright light with given lateral and transverse divergences; and optical means in proximity to said laser diode pumping means for focusing said output bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot at one end of said gain medium to end-pump said solid state laser, and wherein: said active dopant ions have physical properties such that the end-pumping of said solid state laser produces a stimulated emission corresponding to a three-level optical transition for said active dopant ions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The optical system of claim 7 wherein: said active dopant ions are comprised of thulium.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The optical system of claim 7 wherein: said active dopant ions are comprised of holmium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof at least a 10 watt bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof at least a 10 watt bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The laser system of claim 10 wherein: said laser diode pumping means is pulsed to produce pulses of bright light.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
118 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said optical means including: a large numerical aperture, compound cylindrical lens 27 to collimate the output bright light of said laser diode bar in said transverse direction; and a compound spherical lens to focus said collimated bright light into said relatively small high intensity spot.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
118 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said optical means including: a large numerical aperture, compound cylindrical lens 27 to collimate the output bright light of said laser diode bar in said transverse direction; and a compound spherical lens to focus said collimated bright light into said relatively small high intensity spot.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said optical means including: three circular-cylinder plano-convex lenses; one spherical biconvex lens; and three spherical plano-convex lenses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said optical means including: three circular-cylinder plano-convex lenses; one spherical biconvex lens; and three spherical plano-convex lenses.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
108 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said optical means including: a plurality of cylindrical lenses to substantially collimate said bright light; and a plurality of spherical lenses to focus said substantially collimated bright light into said relatively small high intensity spot.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
108 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said optical means including: a plurality of cylindrical lenses to substantially collimate said bright light; and a plurality of spherical lenses to focus said substantially collimated bright light into said relatively small high intensity spot.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser system of claim 14 wherein: said laser diode pumping means includes a laser diode bar containing a plurality of separate laser diode arrays.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
83 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said wherein: said solid state laser is a three-level laser.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
83 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium, said wherein: said solid state laser is a three-level laser.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
116 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said active medium including a host material containing active dopant ions, said active dopant ions having physical properties such that the end-pumping of said solid state laser produces a stimulated emission corresponding to a three-level optical transistion for said active dopant ions; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
116 words
A laser system comprising: an active medium in a resonant optical cavity of a solid state laser, said active medium including a host material containing active dopant ions, said active dopant ions having physical properties such that the end-pumping of said solid state laser produces a stimulated emission corresponding to a three-level optical transistion for said active dopant ions; laser diode pumping means for emitting from an elongated emissive area thereof a bright light having a lateral divergence and a transverse divergence; and optical means disposed between said laser diode pumping means and said solid state laser for focusing said bright light into a relatively small high intensity spot to end-pump said solid state active medium.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser system of claim 17 wherein: said active dopant ions are comprised of thulium.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser system of claim 17 wherein: said active dopant ions are comprised of holmium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4794615A
Cited
US5130996A
Cited
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