US5159487A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical parametric oscillator OPO having a variable line narrowed output
Assignee: Lasen Inc
•
Filing: 1991-05-29
•
Granted: 1992-10-27
•
Expires: 2011-05-29
Abstract
Abstract An optical parametric oscillator includes a pump laser for producing a pump beam, an optical resonator, an OPO crystal disposed within the optical resonator aligned with and responsive to the pump beam to produce a parametrically generated output, and a device external to the optical resonator for line narrowing the parametrically generated output. In one embodiment of the invention, the device is a grating and in another embodiment of the invention the device is an acousto-optic cell.
Inventors
- 👤 Allen R. Geiger
- 👤 Narasimha S. Prasad
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:34
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/35; G02F1/39
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
An OPO comprising: a. means for producing a pump beam; b. an optical resonator; c. an OPO crystal disposed within said optical resonator and responsive to said pump beam to produce a parametrically generated output; and d. means external to said optical resonator for line narrowing the parametrically generated output.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
An OPO comprising: a. means for producing a pump beam; b. an optical resonator; c. an OPO crystal disposed within said optical resonator and responsive to said pump beam to produce a parametrically generated output; and d. means external to said optical resonator for line narrowing the parametrically generated output.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The OPO of claim 1 and wherein said line narrowing means comprises a grating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The OPO of claim 1 and wherein said line narrowing means comprises an acousto-optic cell.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The OPO of claim 1 and wherein said line narrowing means comprises a light modulator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The OPO of claim 4 and wherein said light modulator is an acousto-optic modulator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The OPO of claim 2 and wherein said OPO crystal is tunable and said grating is rotatably mounted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The OPO of claim 3 and wherein said OPO crystal is tunable and said acousto-optic cell is rotatably mounted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The OPO of claim 4 and wherein said OPO crystal is tunable and said light modulator is tunable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
133 words
An OPO comprising: a. means for producing a pump beam; b. an optical resonator; c. an OPO crystal disposed within said optical resonator and responsive to said pump beam to produce an OPO output beam; d. a first beam splitter disposed along the path of said OPO output beam for deflecting away a portion of said OPO output beam; e. a grating disposed along the path of said deflected portion of said OPO output beam for reflecting back a line narrowed region of said deflected portion off said first beam splitter and into said optical resonator to seed said OPO crystal; and f. a second beam splitter spaced apart from said first beam splitter along the path of said OPO output beam for deflecting away said pump beam from said OPO output beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
133 words
An OPO comprising: a. means for producing a pump beam; b. an optical resonator; c. an OPO crystal disposed within said optical resonator and responsive to said pump beam to produce an OPO output beam; d. a first beam splitter disposed along the path of said OPO output beam for deflecting away a portion of said OPO output beam; e. a grating disposed along the path of said deflected portion of said OPO output beam for reflecting back a line narrowed region of said deflected portion off said first beam splitter and into said optical resonator to seed said OPO crystal; and f. a second beam splitter spaced apart from said first beam splitter along the path of said OPO output beam for deflecting away said pump beam from said OPO output beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The OPO of claim 9 and wherein the OPO crystal is tunable and the grating is rotatable.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
131 words
An OPO comprising: a. means for producing a pump beam; b. an optical resonator; c. an OPO crystal disposed within said optical resonator and responsive to said pump beam to produce an OPO output beam; d. a first beam splitter disposed along the path of said OPO output beam for deflecting away a portion of said OPO output beam; e. an acousto-optic cell disposed along the path of said deflected portion of said OPO output beam for reflecting back a line narrowed region of said deflected portion off said first beam splitter and into said optical resonator to seed said OPO crystal; f. a second beam splitter for deflecting away said pump beam from said OPO output beam; and g. a controller coupled to said OPO crystal and said acousto-optic cell.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
131 words
An OPO comprising: a. means for producing a pump beam; b. an optical resonator; c. an OPO crystal disposed within said optical resonator and responsive to said pump beam to produce an OPO output beam; d. a first beam splitter disposed along the path of said OPO output beam for deflecting away a portion of said OPO output beam; e. an acousto-optic cell disposed along the path of said deflected portion of said OPO output beam for reflecting back a line narrowed region of said deflected portion off said first beam splitter and into said optical resonator to seed said OPO crystal; f. a second beam splitter for deflecting away said pump beam from said OPO output beam; and g. a controller coupled to said OPO crystal and said acousto-optic cell.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
92 words
An OPO comprising: a laser for producing a pump beam; an optical resonator defining an OPO cavity and including an OPO crystal for producing an OPO output beam in response to the pump beam; a first beam splitter for splitting off at least a portion of one of the OPO signal wavelength or idler wavelength, and for allowing the wavelength not split off to resonate within the OPO cavity; and means for reflecting back a line narrowed region of the split-off wavelength off the first beam splitter to seed the OPO crystal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
92 words
An OPO comprising: a laser for producing a pump beam; an optical resonator defining an OPO cavity and including an OPO crystal for producing an OPO output beam in response to the pump beam; a first beam splitter for splitting off at least a portion of one of the OPO signal wavelength or idler wavelength, and for allowing the wavelength not split off to resonate within the OPO cavity; and means for reflecting back a line narrowed region of the split-off wavelength off the first beam splitter to seed the OPO crystal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An OPO as claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for reflecting is selected from the group including a grating and an acousto-optic cell.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
An OPO as defined in claim 12, further comprising a second beam splitter for deflecting away the pump beam from the OPO output beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
An OPO as defined in claim 12, wherein the first beam splitter splits off substantially all of one of the OPO signal wavelength or idler wavelength.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
An OPO as defined in claim 12, wherein the means for reflecting is located outside of the OPO cavity.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
An OPO as defined in claim 12, wherein he means for reflecting is located within the OPO cavity.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3662183A
Cited
US4085335A
Cited
US4189652A
Cited
US4180751A
Cited
US4349907A
Cited
US4639923A
Cited
US4897562A
Cited
US5034951A
Cited
US5038359A
Cited
US5033057A
Cited
US5028816A
Cited
US5038352A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-27 | 1996-04-27 | 1996-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-27 | 2000-04-27 | 2000-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-27 | 2004-04-27 | 2004-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |