Pure crystal exciton laser amplifier and method of operation

Claim 1

A laser amplifier comprising: a source of intense, monochromatic, coherent radiation to be amplified, said radiation have a selected wavelength; a laser rod having an axial first and second ends, and being axially aligned with said source of radiation, said first end being adapted to receive said radiation to be amplified, said laser rod comprising a pure, undoped crystal in which the recombination of excitons produces a characteristic output radiation having said selected wavelength; pumping means for producing electron population inversion within said laser rod and to a recombination energy level for the production of excitons within said laser rod the pure crystal laser rod providing a sufficiently high exciton density to assure a nonboson quality in said excitons; and means for alternately activating said pumping means and said source of radiation to first produce said high density of excitons in said laser rod and then to cause said radiation to be amplified to impinge on said first end of said laser rod to stimulate decay of said high density, nonboson quality excitons, such decay producing photons of said characteristic wavelength and resulting in intense monochromatic, coherent output radiation at said characteristic wavelength at said second end of said laser rod, said output radiation being at a greater intensity than, and at the same wavelength as, said source radiation, whereby said source radiation is amplified.