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US4736378A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Integrated acousto-optic mode locking device for a mode locked laser system
Assignee: University of Warsaw
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Filing: 1986-06-12
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Granted: 1988-04-05
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Expires: 2006-06-12
Abstract
Abstract The subject of the invention is a device synchronizing modes of the laser, fastened in its resonance cavity, in a housing 1 having its inner temperature stabilized, which contains an acousto-optical modulator whose buffer 5, functioning at the same time as a prism, together with a transducer 13 generating an acoustic wave for modulation of a light wave and with a back mirror 11 form an integrated optical element in the form of a prism with a trapezoid base.
Inventors
- 👤 Piotr Myslinski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:50
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/11; H01S3/1106; H01S3/1109; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/11; H01S3/106; H01S3/1068
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
An integrated acousto-optic mode locker comprising: a laser medium having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis; an excitation source for producing a population inversion in said medium; an acousto-optic modulator mounted along the longitudinal axis of the laser medium and placed in close proximity to a first end of the laser medium, said acousto-optic modulator including an acoustic-wave and laser light-wave transmitting material, an acoustic-wave generating mechanism connected to said acoustic-wave transmiting material for generating an acoustic standing wave in said material to lock oscillation modes of the laser, said acoustic wave generating mechanism comprising a transducer for converting an electrical signal to an acoustic wave in said acoustic wave transmitting material and further including a frequency synthesized rf source means connected to said transducer, and an end mirror with a coating disposed on said acoustic-wave transmitting material for reflecting radiation from said laser medium in a return path back to said laser medium; an output mirror mounted close to a second end of said laser medium and constituting together with said acoustic-optic modulator an optical resonator having an optical axis and an optical path of length L; means for controlling and maintaining the temperature of said acousto-optic modulator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
An integrated acousto-optic mode locker comprising: a laser medium having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis; an excitation source for producing a population inversion in said medium; an acousto-optic modulator mounted along the longitudinal axis of the laser medium and placed in close proximity to a first end of the laser medium, said acousto-optic modulator including an acoustic-wave and laser light-wave transmitting material, an acoustic-wave generating mechanism connected to said acoustic-wave transmiting material for generating an acoustic standing wave in said material to lock oscillation modes of the laser, said acoustic wave generating mechanism comprising a transducer for converting an electrical signal to an acoustic wave in said acoustic wave transmitting material and further including a frequency synthesized rf source means connected to said transducer, and an end mirror with a coating disposed on said acoustic-wave transmitting material for reflecting radiation from said laser medium in a return path back to said laser medium; an output mirror mounted close to a second end of said laser medium and constituting together with said acoustic-optic modulator an optical resonator having an optical axis and an optical path of length L; means for controlling and maintaining the temperature of said acousto-optic modulator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The integrated acousto-optic mode locker according to claim 1, wherein said acousto-optic modulator consisting of said: acoustic-wave transmitting material, transducer and end mirror is a single optical element which functions as a prism for laser wavelength selection in said laser optical resonator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The integrated acousto-optic mode locker according to claim 1, wherein the said acousto-optic modulator is mounted in said optical resonator thereby enabling adjustment of the length L of the resonator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The integrated acousto-optic mode locker according to claim 1, wherein the body of acoustic-wave transmitting material is taken from the group consisting of quartz and glass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The integrated acousto-optic mode locker according to claim 1, wherein the body of acoustic-wave transmitting material is a prism with a trapezoid base with one face disposed in said resonator optical axis at Brewster's angle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The integrated acousto-optic mode locker according to claim 1 wherein the acoustic-wave generating transducer is selected from the material consisting of lithium niobate, iodate or crystalline quartz.
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) | 1991-04-05 | 1991-10-05 | 1992-04-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-04-05 | 1995-10-05 | 1996-04-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-04-05 | 1999-10-05 | 2000-04-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |