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US5495494A
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Self-aligned, monolithic, solid microlaser with passive switching by a saturable absorber and a production process therefor
Assignee: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et Aux Énergies Alternatives
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Filing: 1994-11-14
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Granted: 1996-02-27
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Expires: 2014-11-14
Abstract
Abstract A self-aligned, monolithic, solid microlaser with passive switching by a saturable absorber and a production process therefor. The cavity for the microlaser has a solid active medium, a saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber is a thin film of saturable absorbent material directly deposited on the solid active medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Engin Molva
- 👤 Jean-Jacques Aubert
- 👤 Jean Marty
- 👤 Jean-Michel Nunzi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:15
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/11; H01S3/1123; H01S3/113; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/35; G02F1/3523; H01S3/02; H01S3/025; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/0602; H01S3/0604; H01S3/0615; H01S3/0627; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094049; H01S3/094053; H01S3/094084; H01S3/0941; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1608; H01S3/161; H01S3/1611; H01S3/1616; H01S3/1618; H01S3/163; H01S3/1631; H01S3/1635; H01S3/164; H01S3/1643; H01S3/1645; H01S3/1653; H01S3/1655; H01S3/1661; H01S3/1671; H01S3/1673
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
37 words
A microlaser cavity which comprises: a solid, active medium, a saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber comprises a thin saturable absorber material film directly deposited on the solid, active medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
A microlaser cavity which comprises: a solid, active medium, a saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber comprises a thin saturable absorber material film directly deposited on the solid, active medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A microlaser cavity according to claim 1, wherein the solid, active medium comprises a base material selected from the group consisting of Y 3 Al 5 O 12 , LaMgA 11 O 19 , YVO 4 , Y 2 SiO 5 , YLiF 4 or GdVO 4 , doped with ions of neodymium (nd), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), holmium (Ho), or a codoping of thulium and holmium (Tm+Ho).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A microlaser cavity according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the thin film is formed from an organic dye dissolved in a polymer solvent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A microlaser cavity according to claim 3, wherein the organic dye is selected from the group consisting of bis(4-diethylaminodithiobenzyl)-nickel or bis(4-dimethylaminodithiobenzyl)-nickel and the solvent comprises a solution of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate or polystyrene.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A microlaser cavity according to claim 2, wherein the thin film is deposited by liquid phase epitaxy, and the film is formed from a base material identical to that of the solid, active medium and doped with Cr +4 or Er 3+ ions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A microlaser cavity according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the laser cavity comprises a second saturable absorber film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A microlaser cavity according to claim 1, wherein the thin film is deposited by liquid phase epitaxy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A microlaser cavity according to claim 1, which comprises a microlens array directly formed on the laser material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A microlaser cavity according to claim 1, wherein the entrance mirror and the exit mirror comprise dichroic mirrors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A microlaser, which comprises: a microlaser cavity according to claim 1 and optical means for pumping the cavity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
Microlaser according to claim 10, wherein the pumping means comprises at least one laser diode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
Microlaser according to one of the claims 10 or 11, wherein the laser cavity and the optical pumping means are installed in a case.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Microlaser according to one claims 10 or 11, wherein the microlaser cavity and the optical pumping means are each installed in different cases, the cases being linked by an optical fiber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A microlaser which comprises: a microlaser cavity according to claim 1, and an optical pump, said optical pump pumping the cavity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microlaser according to claim 14, wherein the optical pump comprises at least one laser diode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A microlaser according to one of claims 14 or 15, wherein the laser cavity and the optical pump are installed in a case.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A microlaser according to one of claims 14 or 15, wherein the microlaser cavity and the optical pump are each installed in difference cases, the cases being linked by an optical fiber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
82 words
A process for the production of a microlaser cavity having a solid, active medium, a saturable absorber, and entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber includes a thin soluble absorber material film directly deposited on the solid, active medium, which comprises: a conditioning stage, at a predetermined thickness, of the material forming the solid, active medium, a stage of forming a saturable absorber film directly on one of the faces of the material prepared according to the preceding stage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
82 words
A process for the production of a microlaser cavity having a solid, active medium, a saturable absorber, and entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber includes a thin soluble absorber material film directly deposited on the solid, active medium, which comprises: a conditioning stage, at a predetermined thickness, of the material forming the solid, active medium, a stage of forming a saturable absorber film directly on one of the faces of the material prepared according to the preceding stage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
Process according to claim 18, wherein the thin film is deposited with a whirler.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
Process according to one of claims 18 or 19, wherein the thin film is formed from an organic dye dissolved in a polymer solvent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
Process according to claim 20, wherein the organic dye is selected from a group consisting of bis(4-diethylaminodithiobenzyl)-nickel or bis(4-dimethylaminodithiobenzyl)-nickel and the solvent comprises a solution of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate or polystyrene.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
Process according to claim 18, which comprises depositing the thin film by liquid phase epitaxy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
77 words
Process according to claim 22, wherein the solid, active medium comprises a base material selected from the group consisting of Y 3 Al 5 O 12 , LaMgA 11 O 19 , YVO 4 , Y 2 SiO 5 , YLiF 4 or GdVO 4 , doped with ions of neodymium (Nd), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), holmium (Ho), or with a codoping of erbium and ytterbium (Er+Yb) ions, or with a codoping of thulium and holmium (Tm+Ho).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
Process according to claim 23, which comprises forming the thin film from a base material identical to that of the active laser material, and doping said base material with Cr +4 or Er 3+ ions.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
Process according to claim 18, which comprises depositing a second saturable absorber film on another face of the active laser material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
Process according to claim 18, which comprises forming in a supplementary stage a microlens array directly on the laser material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
Process according to claim 26, which comprises etching the microlens array directly on the active laser material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
Process according to claim 18, which comprises forming an entrance mirror and an exit mirror of the microlaser cavity by the deposition of dielectric multilayers.
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) | 1999-02-26 | 1999-08-28 | 2000-02-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-02-26 | 2003-08-28 | 2004-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-02-26 | 2007-08-28 | 2008-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |