US4965803A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Room-temperature, laser diode-pumped, q-switched, 2 micron, thulium-doped, solid state laser
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1990-03-30
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Granted: 1990-10-23
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Expires: 2010-03-30
Abstract
Abstract A room-temperature, laser-pumped, Q-switched, thulium-doped, solid state laser for producing pulses of laser emission at substantially 2 microns is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the laser comprises: a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements opposing each other on a common axis to form a reflective path therebetween; a laser crystal disposed in the laser cavity, the laser crystal having a host material doped with an amount of thulium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2 microns from the 3 F 4 to 3 H 6 laser transition in the thulium activator ions when the laser crystal is enabled and is pumped by a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a pump laser for pumping the laser crystal with the CW pump beam at the preselected wavelength; and a Q-switch disposed in the laser cavity between the laser crystal and the second reflective element for periodically enabling the laser crystal to produce a pulsed laesr emission at substantially 2 microns when the laser crystal is also pumped by the CW pump beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Leon Esterowitz
- 👤 Robert C. Stoneman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/0941; H01S3/09415; H01S3/14; H01S3/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A room-temperature solid state laser comprising: a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements opposing each other on a common axis to form a reflective path therebetween; a laser crystal disposed in said laser cavity, said laser crystal having a host material doped with an amount of thulium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2 microns from the 3 F 4 to 3 H 6 laser transition in said thulium activator ions when said laser crystal is enabled and is pumped by a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a pump laser for pumping said laser crystal with said CW pump beam at said preselected wavelength; and means disposed in said laser cavity between said laser crystal and said second reflective element for periodically enabling said laser crystal to produce a pulsed laser emission at substantially 2 microns when said laser crystal is also pumped by said CW pump beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A room-temperature solid state laser comprising: a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements opposing each other on a common axis to form a reflective path therebetween; a laser crystal disposed in said laser cavity, said laser crystal having a host material doped with an amount of thulium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2 microns from the 3 F 4 to 3 H 6 laser transition in said thulium activator ions when said laser crystal is enabled and is pumped by a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a pump laser for pumping said laser crystal with said CW pump beam at said preselected wavelength; and means disposed in said laser cavity between said laser crystal and said second reflective element for periodically enabling said laser crystal to produce a pulsed laser emission at substantially 2 microns when said laser crystal is also pumped by said CW pump beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said periodically enabling means is a Q-switch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 2 wherein: said Q-switch is an acousto-optic Q-switch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 2 wherein: said Q-switch is an electro-optic Q-switch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The laser of claim 1 further including: optical means disposed between said pump laser and said laser crystal for matching the CW pump beam to said laser crystal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of YAG, YSAG, YSGG, YGG, GGG, GSAG, GSGG, LLGG, YAlO, YLF and mixtures thereof; and said host material is doped with an amount of Tm 3+ activator ions between 0.25% and 50%.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of YAG, YSAG, YSGG, GSAG, GSGG and mixtures thereof; and said host material is doped with an amount of Tm 3+ activator ions between 5% and 20%.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of YAG, YSAG, YSGG, GSAG, GSGG and mixtures thereof; and said host material is doped with an amount of Tm 3+ activator ions between 9% and 15%.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of YAG, YSGG and mixtures thereof; and said host material is doped with an amount of Tm 3+ ions of substantially 12%.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said pump laser is comprised of a titanium-sapphire laser for emitting the CW pump beam at a wavelength of approximately 0.785 microns.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said pump laser is comprised of a laser diode source for emitting the CW pump beam at a wavelength of approximately 0.785 microns.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 11 wherein: said Q-switch is an acousto-optic Q-switch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 11 wherein: said Q-switch is an electro-optic Q-switch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
71 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said first reflective element, comprises a dichroic coating on the input surface of said laser crystal, said dichroic coating having a high transmissivity at the pump wavelength of said pump laser and a high reflectivity at substantially 2 microns; and said second reflective element is an output coupler having a low transmissivity at substantially 2 microns to pass said 2 micron pulses of laser emission.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The laser of claim 14 wherein: said pump laser is selected from the group consisting of a titanium-sapphire laser and a laser diode source to emit the CW pump beam at a wavelength of approximately 0.785 microns.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The laser of claim 15 further including: optical means disposed between said pump laser and said laser crystal for matching the CW pump beam to said laser crystal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The laser of claim 16 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of YAG, YSAG, YSGG, GSAG, GSGG and mixtures thereof; and said host material is doped with an amount of Tm 3+ activator ions between 5% and 20%.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser of claim 17 wherein: said Q-switch is selected from the group consisting of an acousto-optic Q-switch and an electro-optic Q-switch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The laser of claim 17 wherein: said amount of Tm 3+ activator ions in said host material is inversely proportional to the length of said laser crystal.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for producing pulses of 2 micron laser emission, said method comprising the steps of: forming a laser crystal having a host material doped with a concentration of Tm 3+ activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission on the 3 F 4 to 3 H 6 transition of the Tm 3+ activator ions when the laser crystal is enabled and is pumped by a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; generating a CW pump beam at the preselected wavelength; directing the CW pump beam into Tm 3+ -doped host material of the laser crystal to produce a laser emission at substantially 2 microns from the 3 F 4 to 3 H 6 laser, transition in the Tm 33+ activator ions when the laser crystal is also enabled; and periodically enabling the laser crystal to produce a pulsed laser emission at substantially 2 microns when the laser crystal is also pumped by the CW pump beam at the preselected wavelength.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for producing pulses of 2 micron laser emission, said method comprising the steps of: forming a laser crystal having a host material doped with a concentration of Tm 3+ activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission on the 3 F 4 to 3 H 6 transition of the Tm 3+ activator ions when the laser crystal is enabled and is pumped by a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; generating a CW pump beam at the preselected wavelength; directing the CW pump beam into Tm 3+ -doped host material of the laser crystal to produce a laser emission at substantially 2 microns from the 3 F 4 to 3 H 6 laser, transition in the Tm 33+ activator ions when the laser crystal is also enabled; and periodically enabling the laser crystal to produce a pulsed laser emission at substantially 2 microns when the laser crystal is also pumped by the CW pump beam at the preselected wavelength.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-10-22 | 1994-04-23 | 1994-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-10-22 | 1998-04-23 | 1998-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-10-22 | 2002-04-23 | 2002-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |