US5014279A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Laser diode pumped, erbium-doped, solid state laser with high slope efficiency
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1989-10-31
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Granted: 1991-05-07
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Expires: 2009-10-31
Abstract
Abstract A laser and method for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the laser comprises laser diode means for emitting a pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a crystal; and a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements at opposing ends of the crystal to form a reflective path therebetween; the crystal having a preselected host material doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns when the crystal is pumped by the laser diode means, a portion of the laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns being outputted from one of the first and second reflective elements at a slope efficiency of at least 5 percent, but preferably 10 percent, when the crystal is pumped by the pump beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Leon Esterowitz
- 👤 Roger E. Allen
- 👤 Gregory J. Kintz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:13
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/0941; H01S3/09415; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1608; H01S3/163; H01S3/1645; H01S3/1653
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A laser diode-pumped, solid-state laser for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns, said laser comprising: laser diode means for emitting a pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a crystal; and a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements at opposing ends of said crystal to form a reflective path therebetween; said crystal having a preselected host material doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns when said crystal is pumped by said pump beam, a portion of said laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns being outputted from one of said first and second reflective elements at a slope efficiency of at least substantially 5 percent when said crystal is pumped by said pump beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
A laser diode-pumped, solid-state laser for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns, said laser comprising: laser diode means for emitting a pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a crystal; and a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements at opposing ends of said crystal to form a reflective path therebetween; said crystal having a preselected host material doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns when said crystal is pumped by said pump beam, a portion of said laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns being outputted from one of said first and second reflective elements at a slope efficiency of at least substantially 5 percent when said crystal is pumped by said pump beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 , BaY 2 F 8 , KY 3 F 10 , YF 3 , Na.sub..4 Y.sub..6 F 2 .2, GSGG, GSAG and similar fluoride and oxide host materials with Debye temperatures comparable to that of LiYF 4 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 and BaY 2 F 8 ; and said crystal produces the laser emission at a slope efficiency of at least 10%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser of claim 3 wherein: said host material is doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions between 25 percent and 65 percent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laser of claim 3 wherein: said host material is doped with approximately a 30 percent concentration of erbium activator ions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein: said host material is LiYF 4 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser of claim 6 wherein: said host material of LiYF 4 is doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions between 25 percent and 65 percent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser of claim 6 wherein: said host material of LiYF 4 is doped with approximately a 30 percent concentration of erbium activator ions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein said laser diode means includes: at least one laser diode for producing the pump beam at said preselected wavelength.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser of claim 9 wherein: said at least one laser diode produces the pump beam at a preselected wavelength of approximately 797 nm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 10 wherein: said at least one laser diode is comprised of GaAlAs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The laser of claim 11 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 , BaY 2 F 8 , KY 3 F 10 , YF 3 , Na.sub..4 Y.sub..6 F 2 .2, GSGG and GSAG.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser of claim 11 wherein: said host material is selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 and BaY 2 F 8 .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser of claim 11 wherein: said host material is LiYF 4 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein said laser diode means includes: at least one laser diode array for producing the pump beam at said preselected wavelength.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser of claim 15 wherein: said at least one laser diode array produces the pump beam at a preselected wavelength of approximately 797 nm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The laser of claim 16 wherein: each laser diode in said at least one laser diode array is comprised of GaAlAs; and said host material is selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 , BaY 2 F 8 , GSGG and GSAG.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The laser of claim 16 wherein: each laser diode in said at least one laser diode array is comprised of GaAlAs; and said host material is selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 and BaY 2 F 8 .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser of claim 1 further including: optical means disposed between said laser diode means and said crystal for matching the pump beam to said crystal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
The laser of claim 19 wherein said optical means includes: a first lens for collecting the pump beam; a second lens for collimating the collected pump beam; and a third lens for matching the collimated, collected pump beam to said crystal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The laser of claim 1 further including: temperature control means for maintaining said laser diode means at a preselected temperature.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laser of claim 21 wherein: said temperature control means maintains said laser diode means at room temperature.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
53 words
The laser of claim 1 wherein said laser diode means produces the pump beam at a preselected wavelength of substantially 797 nm, and said laser of claim 1 further including: a filter disposed at the output of said crystal for substantially passing only the laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns from said crystal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
145 words
A laser diode-pumped, solid-state laser for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns, said laser comprising: laser diode means for emitting a pump beam at a wavelength of substantially 797 nm; a crystal; and a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements at opposing ends of said crystal to form a reflective path therebetween; said crystal having a host material selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 , BaY 2 F 8 , KY 3 F 10 , YF 3 , Na.sub..4 Y.sub..6 F 2 .2, GSGG and GSAG, said host material being doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions between 25 percent and 65 percent, said erbium-doped crystal being responsive to said pump beam for producing an output laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns and at a slope efficiency of at least 5 percent.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
145 words
A laser diode-pumped, solid-state laser for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns, said laser comprising: laser diode means for emitting a pump beam at a wavelength of substantially 797 nm; a crystal; and a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements at opposing ends of said crystal to form a reflective path therebetween; said crystal having a host material selected from the group consisting of LiYF 4 , BaY 2 F 8 , KY 3 F 10 , YF 3 , Na.sub..4 Y.sub..6 F 2 .2, GSGG and GSAG, said host material being doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions between 25 percent and 65 percent, said erbium-doped crystal being responsive to said pump beam for producing an output laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns and at a slope efficiency of at least 5 percent.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
The laser of claim 24 wherein: said erbium-doped crystal is responsive to said pump beam at substantially 797 nm for producing a laser emission corresponding to the 4 I 11/2 - 4 I 13/2 laser transition having the wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns and at a slope efficiency of at least 10%.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns, said method comprising the steps of: forming a crystal having a host material doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns when the crystal is pumped at a preselected wavelength; defining a laser cavity by disposing first and second reflective elements at opposing ends of the crystal to form a reflective path therebetween for the laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns when the crystal is pumped at the preselected wavelength; generating a pump beam of optical radiation at the preselected wavelength from at least one laser diode; and directing the pump beam of optical radiation into the erbium-doped host material of the crystal to produce an output laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns at a slope efficiency of at least 5 percent.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns, said method comprising the steps of: forming a crystal having a host material doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns when the crystal is pumped at a preselected wavelength; defining a laser cavity by disposing first and second reflective elements at opposing ends of the crystal to form a reflective path therebetween for the laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns when the crystal is pumped at the preselected wavelength; generating a pump beam of optical radiation at the preselected wavelength from at least one laser diode; and directing the pump beam of optical radiation into the erbium-doped host material of the crystal to produce an output laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns at a slope efficiency of at least 5 percent.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 26 further including the steps of: selecting the host material from the group consisting of YLF, BaY 2 F 8 , GSGG and GSAG; and doping the host material with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions between 25 percent and 65 percent.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 27 wherein said generating step includes the step of: selecting the pump beam of optical radiation to have a wavelength of substantially 797 nm.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said directing step produces the laser emission at a slope efficiency of at least 10%, said method further including the steps of: selecting YLF as the host material; and doping the YLF host material with approximately a 30 percent concentration of erbium activator ions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said generating step includes the step of: selecting the pump beam of optical radiation to have a wavelength of substantially 797 nm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-05-06 | 1994-11-05 | 1995-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-06 | 1998-11-05 | 1999-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-06 | 2002-11-05 | 2003-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |