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US5197073A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Solid-state laser in which the two polarization modes of the fundamental wave laser beam oscillate in a single longitudinal mode

Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1991-05-16
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Granted: 1993-03-23
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Expires: 2011-05-16
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Abstract

Abstract A solid state laser apparatus in which a fundamental laser beam generated in a laser medium is resonated so as to pass a nonlinear optical crystal element provided within a resonator to thereby generate a secondary harmonic laser light and a first optical element for suppressing a coupling caused by a sum-frequency generation between two polarization modes of the fundamental wave laser beam is provided within the resonator includes of a control device for controlling an effective resonator length of the resonator such that the two polarization modes of the fundamental wave laser beam become the same in oscillation intensity. Therefore, a mode hopping noise caused by the mode coupling of the fundamental laser beam within the same polarization mode can be avoided and the oscillation can be stabilized.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michio Oka

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 12:14
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/10; H01S3/13; H01S3/139; H01S3/106; H01S3/108; H01S3/109

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 124 words
In a solid state laser apparatus in which a fundamental wave laser beam generated in a laser medium is resonated and passes through a nonlinear optical crystal element provided within a resonator to thereby generate a secondary harmonic laser beam and in which first optical means is provided in said resonator for suppressing a coupling caused by a sum-frequency generation between two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam, the improvement comprising: second optical means for causing said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam to respectively oscillate in a single longitudinal mode; and control means for controlling an effective resonator length of said resonator, whereby said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam have the same oscillation intensity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 124 words
In a solid state laser apparatus in which a fundamental wave laser beam generated in a laser medium is resonated and passes through a nonlinear optical crystal element provided within a resonator to thereby generate a secondary harmonic laser beam and in which first optical means is provided in said resonator for suppressing a coupling caused by a sum-frequency generation between two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam, the improvement comprising: second optical means for causing said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam to respectively oscillate in a single longitudinal mode; and control means for controlling an effective resonator length of said resonator, whereby said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam have the same oscillation intensity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 71 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes separating means for separating a first beam portion from said fundamental wave laser beam, detecting means for detecting said first beam portion of said fundamental wave laser beam separated by said separating means, and resonator length control means for controlling an effective resonator length of said resonator in response to a detected output from said detecting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a range in which said resonator is controlled by said resonator length control means is selected to be less than 1/4 of a fundamental wave.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second optical means is an optical element having a wavelength selecting property.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second optical element is provided within said resonator between said laser medium and said nonlinear optical crystal element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 97 words
In a solid state laser apparatus in which a fundamental laser beam generated in a laser medium is resonated and passes through a nonlinear optical crystal element provided within a resonator generates a secondary harmonic laser beam and in which first optical means is provided within said resonator for suppressing a coupling caused by a sum-frequency generation between two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam, the improvement comprising: control means for controlling an effective resonator length of said resonator, whereby said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam have the same oscillation intensity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 97 words
In a solid state laser apparatus in which a fundamental laser beam generated in a laser medium is resonated and passes through a nonlinear optical crystal element provided within a resonator generates a secondary harmonic laser beam and in which first optical means is provided within said resonator for suppressing a coupling caused by a sum-frequency generation between two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam, the improvement comprising: control means for controlling an effective resonator length of said resonator, whereby said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam have the same oscillation intensity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 71 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means includes separating means for separating a first beam portion from said fundamental wave laser beam, detecting means for detecting said first beam portion of said fundamental wave laser beam separated by said separating means, and resonator length control means for controlling an effective resonator length of said resonator in response to a detected output from said detecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 35 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a range in which said resonator is controlled by said resonator length control means is selected to be less than 1/4 of a fundamental wave.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 99 words
In a solid state laser apparatus in which a fundamental laser beam generated in a laser medium is resonated and passes through a nonlinear optical crystal element provided within a resonator to thereby generate a secondary harmonic laser light and in which a birefringence optical element is provided within said resonator for suppressing a coupling caused by a sum-frequency generation between two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam, the improvement comprising: optical means provided within said resonator for causing said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam to respectively oscillate in a single longitudinal mode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 99 words
In a solid state laser apparatus in which a fundamental laser beam generated in a laser medium is resonated and passes through a nonlinear optical crystal element provided within a resonator to thereby generate a secondary harmonic laser light and in which a birefringence optical element is provided within said resonator for suppressing a coupling caused by a sum-frequency generation between two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam, the improvement comprising: optical means provided within said resonator for causing said two polarization modes of said fundamental wave laser beam to respectively oscillate in a single longitudinal mode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said optical means is an optical element having a wavelength selecting property.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
A solid state laser apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said optical element is provided within said resonator between said laser medium and said nonlinear optical crystal element.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4841528A Cited
US5084879A Cited

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