Laser oscillator-amplifier system

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, in which the laser light directed through said second portion is provided by said generated laser beam in said first portion so that the single laser rod serves to generate and amplify its own light.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, including the steps of providing an additional laser rod and additional aperture plate cooperating to provide an additional generated laser beam, said additional beam constituting said laser light directed through said second portion of said first mentioned laser rod for amplification therein, said first mentioned generated beam being directed through a portion of said additional laser rod out of alignment with the central aperture of the additional aperture plate to be intercepted and reflected by the 100 percent reflecting surface of the additional aperture plate so that the generated laser beam in one rod is amplified in the other at the same time that the generated beam in the other is amplified in the one.

Claim 5

A laser oscillator-amplifier system comprising in combination: a. a laser rod; b. a light pump optically coupled to said laser rod; c. a first end mirror and a second end mirror defining an optical cavity for said laser rod, said first end mirror being 100 percent reflecting and said second end mirror being partially reflecting and partially transmitting to couple out the laser light; d. an aperture plate positioned in said optical cavity, said aperture plate having a central aperture and a 100 percent relfecting surface surrounding said central aperture so that a generated laser beam is established in a first portion of said rod in optical alignment with said central aperture; and, e. means for directing laser light through a second portion of said rod spaced from and parallel to said first portion so that it misses the central aperture and is intercepted and reflected by said 100 percent reflecting surface of said aperture plate, the laser light being amplified in said second portion, whereby a single laser rod in combination with said aperture plate can be used both for generation and amplification of laser light.

Claim 6

A laser oscillator-amplifier system comprising in combination: a. a laser rod; b. a light pump optically coupled to said laser rod; c. a first end mirror and a second end mirror defining an optical cavity for said laser rod, said first end mirror being 100 percent reflecting and said second end mirror being partially reflecting and partially transmitting to couple out the laser light; d. an aperture plate positioned in said optical cavity, said aperture plate having a central aperture and a 100 percent relfecting surface surrounding said central aperture so that a generated laser beam is established in a first portion of said rod in optical alignment with said central aperture; and, e. means for directing laser light through a second portion of said rod spaced from and parallel to said first portion so that it misses the central aperture and is intercepted and reflected by said 100 percent reflecting surface of said aperture plate, the laser light being amplified in said second portion, whereby a single laser rod in combination with said aperture plate can be used both for generation and amplification of laser light.

Claim 7

A laser oscillator-amplifier system according to claim 4, in which said means for directing laser light through a second portion of said rod includes an additional aperture plate having a central aperture surrounded by a 100 percent reflecting surface disposed in said optical cavity in a position on the other side of said laser rod from said first mentioned aperture plate with its central aperture in optical alignment with said generated laser beam; and means disposed outside said optical cavity in positions to intercept the output laser light from the partially transmitting second end mirror and direct it back to said 100 percent reflecting surface of said first mentioned aperture plate from whence it passes through said second portion of said laser rod and constitutes said laser light amplified therein, the amplified laser light then being intercepted by the 100 percent reflecting surface of said additional aperture plate to reflect it out of the laser system in the form of an outout laser light beam, said laser rod thus serving to amplify the same laser light it generates.

Claim 8

A laser oscillator-amplifier system according to claim 4, in which said means for directing laser light through a second portion of said rod includes an additional laser rod; an additional light pump optically coupled to said additional laser rod; a 100 percent reflecting additional end mirror defining with said second end mirror an additional optical cavity for said additional laser rod, the light generated by said additional laser rod constituting an additional generated laser beam which is coupled out of said additional optical cavity by said second end mirror to pass through said second portion of said first mentioned laser rod and constitutes said laser light amplified thereby; an additional aperture plate having a central aperture surrounded by a 100 percent reflecting surface disposed in said additional optical cavity between said additional laser rod and said additional end mirror, said central aperture being in optical alignment with said additional generated laser beam so that said additional generated laser beam is generated in a portion only of said additional laser rod, said first mentioned generated laser beam coupled out of said second end mirror passing through another portion of said additional laser rod wherein it is amplified and intercepted by said 100 percent reflecting surface of said additional aperture plate and thereby reflected out of said laser system to constitute first amplified laser light, said additional generated laser beam amplified in said first mentioned laser rod being intercepted by the 100 percent reflecting surface of said first mentioned aperture plate and thereby reflected out of said laser system to constitute second amplified laser light; and a beam combiner positioned to combine said first amplified laser light and said second amplified laser light into a single overall output beam, the frequency of said first mentioned generated laser beam being the same as said additional generated beam so that said second end mirror functions as an optical cavity end mirror for both laser rods, the generated laser beam in one rod being amplified in the other at the same time the generated beam in the other is amplified in the one.

Claim 9

A laser oscillator-amplifier system according to claim 5, including a Q switch in said optical cavity to provide a pulsed output beam.

Claim 10

A laser oscillator-amplifier system according to claim 6, including a Q switch in said first mentioned optical cavity and a Q switch in said additional optical cavity so that the first and second amplified laser lights are in the form of pulses.