Acousto-optically q-switched laser

Claim 2

An acousto-optically Q-switched laser comprising: a. a laser cavity including a lasing medium, first reflecting means mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium and spaced from one end thereof for reflecting radiation from said lasing medium back to said lasing medium, feedback reflecting means spaced from the other end of said lasing medium, and means for optically pumping said lasing medium to produce a non-uniform population inversion density in said lasing medium; b. an acousto-optic switch within said laser cavity, said acousto-optic switch being mounted along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium between said first reflecting means and said feedback reflecting means and being spaced from the other end of said lasing medium for deflecting a portion of the radiation emitted by said lasing medium; c. a transducer for introducing acoustic energy into said switch, said transducer being mounted with respect to said switch such that the gradient of the envelope of the acoustic energy introduced into and propagated through said switch approximates the gradient of the non-uniform population inversion directly in said lasing medium; and d. said feedback reflecting means being positioned along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium related to the path to be taken by the deflected portion of radiation for reflecting said deflected portion of radiation back to said switch.

Claim 3

The laser of claim 1 wherein: a. said feedback reflecting means is a Porro prism having its apex substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy; and b. said first reflecting means is a Porro prism having its apex substantially perpendicular to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy.

Claim 4

The laser of claim 1, wherein: a. said first reflectinG means is a corner cube retroreflector; and b. said feedback reflecting means is a Porro prism having its apex substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy.

Claim 5

An acousto-optically Q-switched laser comprising: a. a laser cavity including a lasing medium, first reflecting means mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium and spaced from one end thereof for reflecting radiation from said lasing medium back to said lasing medium, feedback reflecting means spaced from the other end of said lasing medium, and means for optically pumping said lasing medium disposed on one side thereof; b. an acousto-optic switch within said laser cavity, said acousto-optic switch being mounted along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium between said first reflecting means and said feedback reflecting means and being spaced from the other end of said lasing medium for deflecting a portion of the radiation emitted by said lasing medium; c. a transducer source of acoustic energy for introducing acoustic energy into said switch, said transducer source being mounted on the side of said switch corresponding to the opposite side of said lasing medium from said optical pumping means so as to dispose said transducer source remotely with respect to said optical pumping means; and d. said feedback reflecting means being positioned along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium related to the path to be taken by the deflected portion of radiation for reflecting said deflected portion of radiation back to said switch.

Claim 6

An acousto-optically Q-switched laser comprising: a. a laser cavity including a lasing medium, first reflecting means mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium and spaced from one end thereof for reflecting radiation from said lasing medium back to said lasing medium, feedback reflecting means spaced from the other end of said lasing medium, and means for optically pumping said lasing medium disposed on one side thereof; b. an acousto-optic switch within said laser cavity, said acousto-optic switch being mounted along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium between said first reflecting means and said feedback reflecting means and being spaced from the other end of said lasing medium for deflecting a portion of the radiation emitted by said lasing medium; c. a transducer source of acoustic energy for introducing acoustic energy into said switch, said transducer source being mounted on the side of said switch corresponding to the opposite side of said lasing medium from said optical pumping means so as to dispose said transducer source remotely with respect to said optical pumping means; and d. said feedback reflecting means being positioned along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium related to the path to be taken by the deflected portion of radiation for reflecting said deflected portion of radiation back to said switch.

Claim 7

The laser of claim 4 wherein: a. said feedback reflecting means is a Porro prism having its apex substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy; and b. said first reflecting means is a Porro prism having its apex substantially perpendicular to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy.

Claim 8

The laser of claim 4, wherein: a. said first reflecting means is a corner cube retroreflector; and b. said feedback reflecting means is a Porro prism having its apex substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy.

Claim 9

An acousto-optically Q-switched laser comprising: a. a laser cavity including a lasing medium, means for optically pumping said lasing medium, and first and second reflecting means between which said lasing medium is disposed; b. said first reflecting means comprising a corner-cube retroreflector mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium and spaced from one end thereof for reflecting radiation from said lasing medium back to said lasing medium; c. an acousto-optic switch within said laser cavity, said acousto-optic switch being mounted along the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium and spaced from the other end thereof for deflecting a portion of radiation emitted by said lasing medium; d. means for introducing acoustic energy into said switch; and e. said second reflecting means comprising a Porro prism retroreflector mounted on the side of said switch away from said lasing medium for reflecting said deflected portion of radiation back to said switch, the apex of said Porro prism lying substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy.

Claim 10

An acousto-optically Q-switched laser comprising: a. a laser cavity including a lasing medium, means for optically pumping said lasing medium, and first and second reflecting means between which said lasing medium is disposed; b. said first reflecting means comprising a corner-cube retroreflector mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium and spaced from one end thereof for reflecting radiation from said lasing medium back to said lasing medium; c. an acousto-optic switch within said laser cavity, said acousto-optic switch being mounted along the longitudinal axis of said lasing medium and spaced from the other end thereof for deflecting a portion of radiation emitted by said lasing medium; d. means for introducing acoustic energy into said switch; and e. said second reflecting means comprising a Porro prism retroreflector mounted on the side of said switch away from said lasing medium for reflecting said deflected portion of radiation back to said switch, the apex of said Porro prism lying substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of said acoustic energy.

Claim 11

An acousto-optically Q-switched laser comprising: a. a laser cavity including a lasing medium in the form of an elongated laser rod, first reflecting means mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said laser rod and spaced from one end thereof for reflecting radiation from said laser rod back to said laser rod, feedback reflecting means spaced from the other end of said laser rod, and means for optically pumping said laser rod to produce a non-uniform population inversion density in said laser rod, said optiCal pumping means comprising an elongated rod-like flashlamp disposed on one side of said laser rod in spaced substantially parallel relationship with respect thereto; b. an acousto-optic switch within said laser cavity, said acousto-optic switch being mounted along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said laser rod between said first reflecting means and said feedback reflecting means and being spaced from the other end of said laser rod for deflecting a portion of the radiation emitted by said laser rod; c. a transducer source of acoustic energy for introducing acoustic energy into said switch, said transducer source being mounted on the side of said switch corresponding to the opposite side of said laser rod from said elongated rod-like flashlamp so as to dispose said transducer source with respect to said switch such that the gradient of the envelope of the acoustic energy introduced into and propagated through said switch approximates the gradient of the non-uniform population inversion density in said laser rod produced by activation of said elongated rod-like flashlamp; and d. said feedback reflecting means being positioned along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said laser rod related to the path to be taken by the deflected portion of radiation for reflecting said deflected portion of radiation back to said switch.

Claim 12

An acousto-optically Q-switched laser comprising: a. a laser cavity including a lasing medium in the form of an elongated laser rod, first reflecting means mounted substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said laser rod and spaced from one end thereof for reflecting radiation from said laser rod back to said laser rod, feedback reflecting means spaced from the other end of said laser rod, and means for optically pumping said laser rod to produce a non-uniform population inversion density in said laser rod, said optiCal pumping means comprising an elongated rod-like flashlamp disposed on one side of said laser rod in spaced substantially parallel relationship with respect thereto; b. an acousto-optic switch within said laser cavity, said acousto-optic switch being mounted along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said laser rod between said first reflecting means and said feedback reflecting means and being spaced from the other end of said laser rod for deflecting a portion of the radiation emitted by said laser rod; c. a transducer source of acoustic energy for introducing acoustic energy into said switch, said transducer source being mounted on the side of said switch corresponding to the opposite side of said laser rod from said elongated rod-like flashlamp so as to dispose said transducer source with respect to said switch such that the gradient of the envelope of the acoustic energy introduced into and propagated through said switch approximates the gradient of the non-uniform population inversion density in said laser rod produced by activation of said elongated rod-like flashlamp; and d. said feedback reflecting means being positioned along and tilted at a preselected angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said laser rod related to the path to be taken by the deflected portion of radiation for reflecting said deflected portion of radiation back to said switch.