US4955034A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Planar solid state laser resonator
Assignee: Lightwave Electronics Corp
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Filing: 1989-03-01
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Granted: 1990-09-04
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Expires: 2009-03-01
Abstract
Abstract A planar unidirectional solid state laser is realized in non-birefringent (isotropic or cubic) material by inducing a reciprocal polarization rotation along a lasing path within the material through a mechanical stress or by modifying the material to change the index of refraction along the lasing path. Together with means for providing nonreciprocal polarization rotation, such as with the Faraday Effect, the invention enables construction of unidirectional lasers, and more specifically thick film, single-frequency CW or Q-switched tunable ring lasers, with the advantage of both flat and ring structures. A variable-output coupled solid state ring laser employing an evanescent wave output coupling in the form of a prism is also described.
Inventors
- 👤 David G. Scerbak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:52
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/105; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/0602; H01S3/0606; H01S3/08; H01S3/081; H01S3/083; H01S3/0627; H01S3/102; H01S3/106; H01S3/1066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A planar laser resonator comprising: a single piece of solid-state laser medium; means for reflecting optical energy within said laser medium defining a polygonal lasing path in a single lasing plane; means for insuring a single spatial mode of oscillation of said optical energy; and means for reciprocally rotating polarization of optical energy inclined to said lasing plane in said solidstate laser medium along said lasing path, said rotating means altering index of refraction along said lasing path to effect unidirectional propagation of said optical energy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A planar laser resonator comprising: a single piece of solid-state laser medium; means for reflecting optical energy within said laser medium defining a polygonal lasing path in a single lasing plane; means for insuring a single spatial mode of oscillation of said optical energy; and means for reciprocally rotating polarization of optical energy inclined to said lasing plane in said solidstate laser medium along said lasing path, said rotating means altering index of refraction along said lasing path to effect unidirectional propagation of said optical energy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser resonator according to claim 1 wherein said rotating means comprises means for varying index of refraction inclined to said single lasing plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The laser resonator according to claim 1 wherein said altering means comprises means for applying a stress to said laser medium to cause a strain on internal structure of said laser medium inclined to said single lasing plane transverse to said lasing path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser resonator according to claim 3 wherein said stress applying means comprises means for applying a mechanical force transverse to said single lasing plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The laser resonator according to claim 4 wherein said mechanical force applying means comprises contacts abutting said laser medium at locations on opposing sides of said medium containing said single lasing plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser resonator according to claim 5 wherein said contacts are compressed against said medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The laser resonator according to claim 5 wherein said contacts are attached to said medium and are pulled under tension.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The laser resonator according to claim 5 wherein said mechanical force applying means further comprises piezoelectric means coupled to said contacts for modulating force applied to said laser medium through said contacts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The laser resonator according to claim 3 wherein said stress applying means further comprises means for causing a temperature gradient transverse to at least a portion of said lasing path and inclined to said lasing plane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The laser resonator according to claim 1 wherein said laser medium is a cubic crystal having no center of symmetry and wherein said rotating means comprises means for producing an electric field transverse to at least a portion of said lasing path and inclined to said single lasing plane in order to electro-optically induce a change in index of refraction in said crystal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The laser resonator according to claim 1 wherein said rotating means comprises an inhomogeneity in index of refraction at at least one selected location along said lasing path, said inhomogeneity being transverse to said lasing path and inclined to said single lasing plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
A planar laser resonator comprising: a single piece of solid-state laser medium; reflecting means within said laser medium defining a polygonal lasing path in a single lasing plane; and an inhomogeneity in index of refraction of said laser medium at at least one selected location along said lasing path, said inhomogeneity for reciprocally rotating polarization of optical energy inclined to said lasing plane in said solid-state laser medium along said lasing path to effect unidirectional propagation of said optical energy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
A planar laser resonator comprising: a single piece of solid-state laser medium; reflecting means within said laser medium defining a polygonal lasing path in a single lasing plane; and an inhomogeneity in index of refraction of said laser medium at at least one selected location along said lasing path, said inhomogeneity for reciprocally rotating polarization of optical energy inclined to said lasing plane in said solid-state laser medium along said lasing path to effect unidirectional propagation of said optical energy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser resonator according to claim 12 wherein said inhomogeneity is a stable change in index of refraction inclined to said single lasing plane.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser resonator according to claim 13 wherein implanted ions forming a local structural change in said medium define said inhomogeneity in said laser medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The laser resonator according to claim 1 further comprising: means for selecting polarization of optical radiation along said lasing path; and means for providing nonreciprocal rotation of polarization of said optical radiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser resonator according to claim 15 wherein said nonreciprocal polarization rotation means comprises means for applying a magnetic field aligned with the lasing plane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser resonator according to claim 15 wherein said laser medium comprises three reflecting surfaces normal to the lasing plane to define a triangular lasing path.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
The laser resonator according to claim 17 wherein a first one of said reflecting surfaces provides a concave internal reflecting surface to said laser path, said first one of said surfaces being transmissive of lasing radiation at a pumping wavelength and reflective of lasing radiation at lasing wavelength of said laser medium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The laser resonator according to claim 1 further including means for selecting polarization and for coupling laser energy from said laser medium comprising a prism disposed juxtaposed to a point of reflection on said lasing path at a gap from said point of reflection.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser resonator according to claim 19 further including means for increasing and decreasing said gap to modulate coupling and to control lasing threshold.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser resonator according to claim 20 wherein said increasing and decreasing means comprises means for varying said gap to Q-switch said laser medium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser resonator according to claim 1 wherein said insuring means comprises optical excitation means disposed to direct optical energy along an axis of said lasing path for axially pumping said laser medium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The laser resonator according to claim 22 wherein said optical excitation means comprises a plurality of laser pump sources disposed to couple optical radiation into said laser medium at a plurality of points of reflection on said laser path.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for controlling stimulated emission of optical radiation in a plane of a single piece of solid-state laser medium comprising the steps of: reflecting optical energy within said laser medium on a polygonal lasing path in a single lasing plane; restricting said optical energy to a single spatial mode of oscillation; and reciprocally rotating polarization of optical energy inclined to said lasing plane in said solid-state laser medium along said lasing path, altering index of refraction along said lasing path to effect unidirectional propagation of said optical energy.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for controlling stimulated emission of optical radiation in a plane of a single piece of solid-state laser medium comprising the steps of: reflecting optical energy within said laser medium on a polygonal lasing path in a single lasing plane; restricting said optical energy to a single spatial mode of oscillation; and reciprocally rotating polarization of optical energy inclined to said lasing plane in said solid-state laser medium along said lasing path, altering index of refraction along said lasing path to effect unidirectional propagation of said optical energy.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 24 wherein said rotating step comprises varying index of refraction inclined to said single lasing plane.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 24 wherein said altering step comprises applying a stress to said laser medium to cause a strain on internal structure of said laser medium inclined to said single lasing plane transverse to said lasing path.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 26 wherein said stress applying step comprises applying a mechanical force transverse to said single lasing plane.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 27 wherein said mechanical force applying step comprises abutting contacts to said laser medium at locations on opposing sides of said medium containing said single lasing plane.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method according to claim 28 comprising compressing said contacts.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 28 wherein said contacts are attached to said laser medium and said mechanical force applying step comprises pulling apart said contacts.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 28 wherein said mechanical force applying step further comprises piezoelectrically modulating force applied to said laser medium through said contacts.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 26 wherein said stress applying step further comprises heating said medium transverse to said lasing path and inclined to said lasing plane.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method according to claim 24 wherein said laser medium is a cubic crystal having no center of symmetry and wherein said rotating step comprises producing an electrical field transverse to said lasing path and inclined to said single lasing plane in order to electro-optically induce a change in index refraction in said crystal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 24 wherein said rotating step comprises producing an inhomogeneity in index of refraction at at least one selected location along said lasing path, said inhomogeneity being transverse to said lasing path and inclined to said single lasing path.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 34 wherein said inhomogeneity producing step comprises implanting ions in said laser medium locally in sufficient quantity to induce a local structural change in said laser medium.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method according to claim 24 further comprising the steps of: polarizing optical radiation on said lasing path; and rotating nonreciprocally polarization of said optical radiation along said lasing path wherein said reciprocal rotation of polarization and said nonreciprocal rotation of polarization are sufficient to sustain unidirectional lasing.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 36 wherein said rotating step comprises applying a magnetic field aligned with the lasing plane.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 36 further comprising reflecting said optical radiation off of internal surfaces of said laser medium normal to the lasing plane to define a triangular lasing path.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 24 further including selecting polarization and coupling laser energy from said laser medium through a prism disposed juxtaposed to a point of reflection on said lasing path at a gap from said point of reflection.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 39 further including the step of increasing and decreasing said gap in order to modulate coupling and to control lasing threshold.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 40 wherein said increasing and decreasing step comprises varying said gap to Q-switch said laser medium.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 24 further including axially pumping said laser medium along an axis of said lasing path with an optical excitation means.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 42 wherein said pumping step comprises directing radiation of a plurality of laser pump sources at said medium to couple optical radiation into said laser medium at a plurality of points of reflection on said laser path.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
98 words
A laser comprising: a single piece of solid-state laser medium; means for exciting said laser medium; means for reflecting optical energy within said laser medium defining a lasing path; means for insuring a single spatial mode of oscillation of said optical energy; means for constraining propagation of optical energy to a single direction along said lasing path; and means for coupling and selecting polarization of laser energy from said laser medium, said coupling and selecting means comprising a prism disposed juxtaposed to a point of reflection on said lasing path at a gap from said point of reflection.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
98 words
A laser comprising: a single piece of solid-state laser medium; means for exciting said laser medium; means for reflecting optical energy within said laser medium defining a lasing path; means for insuring a single spatial mode of oscillation of said optical energy; means for constraining propagation of optical energy to a single direction along said lasing path; and means for coupling and selecting polarization of laser energy from said laser medium, said coupling and selecting means comprising a prism disposed juxtaposed to a point of reflection on said lasing path at a gap from said point of reflection.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser according to claim 44 further including means for increasing and decreasing said gap in order to modulate coupling and to control lasing threshold.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
19 words
The laser according to claim 45 wherein said increasing and decreasing means comprises means for Q-switching said laser medium.
Claim 51
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for controlling stimulated emission of optical radiation in a single piece of solidstate laser medium having boundaries defining a cavity supportive of optical resonance, said method comprising the steps of: reflecting optical energy within said laser medium on a lasing path; constraining propagation of optical energy to a single spatial mode and in single direction along said lasing path; and polarizing said reflected optical energy while coupling a portion of said reflected optical energy from said laser medium through a prism, said prism being disposed juxtaposed to a point of reflection on said lasing path at a gap from said point of reflection.
Claim 52
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for controlling stimulated emission of optical radiation in a single piece of solidstate laser medium having boundaries defining a cavity supportive of optical resonance, said method comprising the steps of: reflecting optical energy within said laser medium on a lasing path; constraining propagation of optical energy to a single spatial mode and in single direction along said lasing path; and polarizing said reflected optical energy while coupling a portion of said reflected optical energy from said laser medium through a prism, said prism being disposed juxtaposed to a point of reflection on said lasing path at a gap from said point of reflection.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 47 further including the step of increasing and decreasing said gap to modulate coupling and to control lasing threshold.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 48 wherein said increasing and decreasing step comprises varying said gap to Q-switch said laser medium.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
32 words
The laser resonator according to claim 10 wherein said cubic crystal is a semiconductive material and wherein said single piece of said solid state laser medium is a layered solid state structure.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-03 | 1994-03-05 | 1994-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-09-03 | 1998-03-05 | 1998-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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