US5022040A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Upconversion pumped lasers
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1990-10-30
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Granted: 1991-06-04
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Expires: 2010-10-30
Abstract
Abstract A laser incorporating a laser medium disposed within a laser cavity and a pumping arrangement for selectively applying excitation energy to said laser medium. The laser medium contains upconverting material of the type which allows for the exchange of energy between electrons of the lasing ions at a given energy state below the meta-stable initial lasing state so that some of said exchanging electrons are upconverted to energy states at or above the meta-stable initial lasing state. The pumping arrangement applies energy of suitable wavelength and intensity for elevating electrons from energy levels below the given state to that state in sufficient numbers to support substantial upconversion and the resulting lasing.
Inventors
- 👤 Slava A. Pollack
- 👤 David B. Chang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:34
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/106; H01S3/1061; H01S3/11; H01S3/1123; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/08072; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094038; H01S3/094092; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1608; H01S3/1611; H01S3/163; H01S3/1645; H01S3/165; H01S3/17; H01S3/23; H01S3/2383; H01S3/2391
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A laser arrangement comprising: a laser resonator cavity; a laser medium, that incorporates lasing ions, disposed within said laser resonator cavity, said laser medium containing upcoverting material which allows for exchange of energy between electrons of lasing ions at a given energy state below a meta-stable initial lasing state so that some of said exchanging electrons are upconverted to energy states at or above the meta-stable initial lasing state; and pumping means operably coupled to said laser medium for selectively applying excitation energy to said laser medium said selected excitation energy having only wavelengths which are longer than the wavelength corresponding to the energy difference between said meta-stable initial lasing state and a ground state and having an intensity suitable for elevating electrons from energy levels below said given state to said given state in sufficient numbers to support substantial upconversion and continuous lasing, said pumping means and resulting upconversion being capable of serving as a sole means for pumping said laser medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A laser arrangement comprising: a laser resonator cavity; a laser medium, that incorporates lasing ions, disposed within said laser resonator cavity, said laser medium containing upcoverting material which allows for exchange of energy between electrons of lasing ions at a given energy state below a meta-stable initial lasing state so that some of said exchanging electrons are upconverted to energy states at or above the meta-stable initial lasing state; and pumping means operably coupled to said laser medium for selectively applying excitation energy to said laser medium said selected excitation energy having only wavelengths which are longer than the wavelength corresponding to the energy difference between said meta-stable initial lasing state and a ground state and having an intensity suitable for elevating electrons from energy levels below said given state to said given state in sufficient numbers to support substantial upconversion and continuous lasing, said pumping means and resulting upconversion being capable of serving as a sole means for pumping said laser medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser arrangement of claim 1 wherein said upconverting material comprises erbium ions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laser arrangement of claim 2 wherein said laser medium comprises a calcium fluoride crystal hosing erbium ions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The laser arrangement of claim 3 wherein said pumping means provides selected excitation energy at 1.54 um and lasing occurs between the 4 S 3/2 and 4 I 9/2 energy states, between the 4 S 3/2 and 4 I 11/2 energy states and between the 4 S 3/2 and 4 I 13/2 energy states.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laser arrangement of claim 1 wherein said laser medium comprises a calcium fluoride crystal hosting erbium ions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser arrangement of claim 5 wherein said calcium fluoride crystal contains 5 mole percent to 10 mole percent of erbium ions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The laser arrangement of claim 5 wherein said pumping means providing selected excitation energy at 1.54 um and lasing occurs between 4 I 11/2 and 4 I 13/2 energy states.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser arrangement of claim 7 wherein said calcium fluoride crystal contains 5 mole percent to 10 mole percent of erbium ions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The laser arrangement of claim 1 wherein the given energy state is a terminal state of lasing transition for the laser medium and the concentration of upconverting material is such that exchange of energy between electrons of the terminal energy state is sufficient to maintain population inversion between initial and terminal lasing states, whereby continuous lasing operation can be sustained in said laser medium in response to continuous excitation by said pumping means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The laser arrangement of claim 1 wherein said upconverting material comprises thullium ions and ytterbium ions acting as a catalyst.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser arrangement of claim 10 wherein said pumping means provides selected excitation energy at 0.9 um.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser arrangement of claim 11 wherein lasing occurs between the 1 G 4 and 3 H 6 energy states and between the 1 G 4 and the 3 H 4 energy states.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser arrangement of claim 1 wherein said upconverting material comprises holmium ions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laser arrangement of claim 13 wherein said pumping means provides selected excitation energy at 1.2 um wavelength.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The laser arrangement of claim 14 wherein lasing occurs between the 5 S 2 and 5 I 8 energy states and between the 5 S 2 and the 5 I 6 energy states.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A laser arrangement comprising: a laser resonator cavity; a laser medium disposed within said laser resonator cavity, said laser medium comprising a calcium fluoride crystal rod hosting erbium ions; and pumping means operably coupled to said laser medium to apply 1.54 um excitation energy to said laser medium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
A laser arrangement comprising: a laser resonator cavity; a laser medium disposed within said laser resonator cavity, said laser medium comprising a calcium fluoride crystal rod hosting erbium ions; and pumping means operably coupled to said laser medium to apply 1.54 um excitation energy to said laser medium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser arrangement of claim 16 wherein said calcium fluoride crystal contains 5 mole percent to 10 mole percent of erbium ions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
149 words
A laser arrangement comprising; a laser resonator cavity; a laser medium, that incorporates lasing ions, disposed within said laser resonator cavity, said laser medium containing upconverting material which allows for exchange of energy between electrons of lasing ions at a given energy state below a meta-stable initial lasing state so that some of said exchanging electrons are upconverted to energy states at or above the meta-stable initial lasing state; and pumping means operably coupled to said laser medium and said selected excitation energy having only wavelengths which are longer than the wavelength corresponding to the energy difference between said meta-stable initial lasing state and a ground state in sufficient numbers to support substantial upconversion and lasing in said laser medium between said meta-stable initial lasing state and said given state said pumping means and resulting upconversion being capable of serving as a sole means for pumping said laser medium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
149 words
A laser arrangement comprising; a laser resonator cavity; a laser medium, that incorporates lasing ions, disposed within said laser resonator cavity, said laser medium containing upconverting material which allows for exchange of energy between electrons of lasing ions at a given energy state below a meta-stable initial lasing state so that some of said exchanging electrons are upconverted to energy states at or above the meta-stable initial lasing state; and pumping means operably coupled to said laser medium and said selected excitation energy having only wavelengths which are longer than the wavelength corresponding to the energy difference between said meta-stable initial lasing state and a ground state in sufficient numbers to support substantial upconversion and lasing in said laser medium between said meta-stable initial lasing state and said given state said pumping means and resulting upconversion being capable of serving as a sole means for pumping said laser medium.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The laser arrangement of claim 18 wherein said upconverting material comprises erbium ions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laser arrangement of claim 18 wherein said laser medium comprises a calcium fluoride crystal hosting erbium ions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser arrangement of claim 20 wherein said calcium fluoride crystal contains 5 mole percent to 10 mole percent of erbium ions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser arrangement of claim 20 wherein said pumping means provides energy at 1.54 um and lasing occurs between the 4 I 11/2 and 4 I 13/2 energy states.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser arrangement of claim 22 wherein said calcium fluoride crystal contains 5 mole percent to 10 mole percent of erbium ions.
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