Means for producing and amplifying optical energy

Claim 2

A laserable glassy material according to claim 2 wherein said inorganic glass is selected from a group consisting of barium crown glass, soda-lime silicate glass, flint glass, lead silicate glass, sodium borate glasses, high silica borosilicate glass, germanate glasses, aluminum zinc phosphate glasses, beryllium fluoride glass, silicate glasses, and arsenic trisulfide glass.

Claim 3

A laserable glassy material according to claim 1 wherein said host material is comprised of an organic glass.

Claim 4

A laserable glassy material according to claim 4 wherein said organic glass is selected from a group consisting of a methyl methacrylate organic glass, an acrylic organic glass, a vinyl chloride organic glass, glycerine, and ether-isopentane-alcohol.

Claim 5

A laserable glassy material according to claim 1 wherein said host material is a silicate glass.

Claim 6

A laserable glassy material according to claim 1 wherein said host material comprises a glassy material selected from a group consisting of barium crown glass, soda-lime silicate glass, flint glass, lead silicate glass, sodium borate glasses, high silica borosilicate glaSs, germanate glasses, aluminum zinc phosphate glasses, beryllium fluoride glass, silicate glasses, arsenic trisulfide glass, a methyl methacrylate organic glass, an acrylic organic glass, a vinyl chloride organic glass, glycerine, and ether-isopentane-alcohol.

Claim 7

A laser component having a structure providing a wave propagation path, all surfaces of said component in said wave propagation path having total scattering of sufficiently low value to permit light energy by stimulated emission in excess of all light energy losses and at least a portion of a surface of said structure in said propagation path being at least partially transmissive of laser emissive light, said component comprising a glassy host material containing a quantity of a fluorescent ingredient which is comprised of trivalent neodymium and which, in relation to the prevailing laser emissive light absorptive characteristics of said host material, supports in said host material a sufficient inversion in population between two energy levels of said fluorescent ingredient as to provide, at the wavelength of stimulated emission of said fluorescent ingredient, light energy by stimulated emission in excess of all light energy losses in said component.

Claim 8

A laser component according to claim 8 wherein said component is at least partially surrounded by a cladding material.

Claim 9

A laser component according to claim 9 wherein said cladding material has a lower index of refraction than that of said component.

Claim 10

A laser component according to claim 9 wherein said host material is an inorganic material.

Claim 11

A laser component according to claim 9 wherein said host material is an organic material.

Claim 12

A laser component according to claim 11 wherein said cladding material is an inorganic material.

Claim 13

A laser component according to claim 11 wherein said cladding material is an organic material.

Claim 14

A laser component according to claim 12 wherein said cladding material is an inorganic material.

Claim 15

A laser component according to claim 12 wherein said cladding material is an organic material.

Claim 16

A laser component according to claim 8 wherein said host material is comprised of an inorganic glass.

Claim 17

A laser component according to claim 17 wherein said inorganic glass is selected from a group consisting of barium crown glass, soda-lime silicate glass, flint glass, lead silicate glass, sodium borate glasses, high silica borosilicate glass, germanate glasses, aluminum zinc phosphate glasses, beryllium fluoride glass, silicate glasses, and arsenic trisulfide glass.

Claim 18

A laser component according to claim 8 wherein said host material is comprised of an organic glass.

Claim 19

A laser component according to claim 19 wherein said organic glass is selected from a group consisting of a methyl methacrylate organic glass, an acrylic organic glass, a vinyl chloride organic glass, glycerine, and ether-isopentane-alcohol.

Claim 20

A laser component according to claim 8 wherein said host material is a silicate glass.

Claim 21

A laser component according to claim 8 wherein said host material comprises a glassy material selected from a group consisting of barium crown glass, soda-lime silicate glass, flint glass, lead silicate glass, sodium borate glasses, high silica borosilicate glass, germanate glasses, aluminum zinc phosphate glasses, beryllium fluoride glass, silicate glasses, arsenic trisulfide glass, a methyl methacrylate organic glass, an acrylic organic glass, a vinyl chloride organic glass, glycerine, and ether-isopentane-alcohol.

Claim 22

A laser component according to claim 8 wherein said component is at least partially surrounded by a cladding material having an index of refraction different from that of said component.

Claim 23

A laser device comprising a laser component having a structure providing a wave propagation path, all surfaces of said component in said wave propagation path having total scattering of sufficiently low value to permit light energy by stimulated emission in excess of all light energy losses and at least a portion of a surface of said structure in said propagation path being at least partially transmissive of laser emissive light, said component comprising a glassy host material containing a quantity of a fluorescent ingredient which is comprised of trivalent neodymium and which, in relation to the prevailing laser emissive light absorptive characteristics of said host material, supports in said host material a sufficient inversion in population between two energy levels of said fluorescent ingredient as to provide, at the wavelength of stimulated emission of said fluorescent ingredient, light energy by stimulated emission in excess of all light energy losses in said device, and a source of pumping energy directed into said component for establishing said population inversion.

Claim 24

A laser device according to claim 24 wherein a surface in said propagation path is at least partially reflecting of laser emissive light.

Claim 25

A laser device according to claim 24 wherein said component is comprised of an elongated core and a cladding material of a refractive index different from that of said core, said clad core having spaced helical turns surrounding said source of pumping energy.

Claim 26

A laser device according to claim 24 wherein said structure comprises two surfaces, spaced from one another along said path, and providing reflective and at least partially reflective end terminations for said propagation path.

Claim 27

A laser device according to claim 24 wherein said component is comprised of a plurality of substantially parallel laser emissive elements.

Claim 28

A laser device according to claim 28 wherein said elements are clad fibers in bunched relation to each other.