US5235606A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Amplification of ultrashort pulses with nd:glass amplifiers pumped by alexandrite free running laser
Assignee: University of Michigan (System)
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Filing: 1991-10-29
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Granted: 1993-08-10
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Expires: 2011-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A system for producing ultra-high peak power pulses employs a plurality of solid state amplifying materials, such as Nd:glass, alexandrite, and Ti:sapphire, to achieve stretching of a pulse prior to amplification by a factor of approximately between 100 and 10,000. The time-stretched pulse is amplified by many orders of magnitude, illustratively 10 9 . After time-stretching and amplification, the pulse is then recompressed to its original duration. Pumping of the multiple solid-state elements is performed simultaneously using an alexandrite laser which is tunable between approximately 700 and 800 nm. The pumping energy has a pulse duration which is less than the fluorescence lifetime of the excited solid-state media.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerard A. Mourou
- 👤 Jeffrey Squier
- 👤 John S. Coe
- 👤 Donald J. Harter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:35
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/23; H01S3/2308; H01S3/2316; H01S2301/00; H01S2301/04; H01S3/005; H01S3/0057; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of producing an ultra-high peak power pulse, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a short optical pulse having a predetermined duration from an optical oscillator; stretching in time the short optical pulse by a factor of approximately between 100 and 10,000 to produce a time-stretched optical pulse to be amplified; amplifying the time-stretched optical pulse in a solid state amplifying media, said step of amplifying additionally including the step of combining the time-stretched optical pulse with an optical energy generated by a laser used to pump the solid-state amplifying media; and compressing in time the amplified time-stretched optical pulse, whereby the amplitude of the resulting amplified time-stretched compressed optical pulse is increased.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of producing an ultra-high peak power pulse, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a short optical pulse having a predetermined duration from an optical oscillator; stretching in time the short optical pulse by a factor of approximately between 100 and 10,000 to produce a time-stretched optical pulse to be amplified; amplifying the time-stretched optical pulse in a solid state amplifying media, said step of amplifying additionally including the step of combining the time-stretched optical pulse with an optical energy generated by a laser used to pump the solid-state amplifying media; and compressing in time the amplified time-stretched optical pulse, whereby the amplitude of the resulting amplified time-stretched compressed optical pulse is increased.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of amplifying is performed at an amplification factor of at least 10 3 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of compressing is performed to an extent whereby the amplified time-stretched compressed optical pulse is returned to the predetermined duration of the short optical pulse from the optical oscillator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of amplifying is performed in Nd:glass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said step of amplifying comprises the step of pumping said Nd:glass material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said step of pumping comprises the further step of energizing an alexandrite laser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said step of energizing comprises the further step of flash lamp pumping said alexandrite laser.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said step of pumping is preformed at an approximate wavelength selected from 740 nm, 800 nm, and 820 nm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said step of pumping is performed using a pulse duration which is shorter than the lifetime of an excited state of said Nd:glass rods.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said pulse duration is approximately between 50 and 100 μs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein there is further provided the step of tuning said alexandrite laser within a range of approximately between 700 and 800 nm.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for producing an ultra-high peak power optical pulse, the system comprising: an optical oscillator for producing a short optical pulse having a predetermined duration; a plurality of glass rods, of the type which produce optical amplification, disposed in an optically serial arrangement having first and second ends, said plurality of glass rods being arranged at said first end thereof to receive said optical pulse from said optical oscillator, and at said second end thereof to output an amplified output pulse which has a duration longer than said predetermined duration of said short optical pulse from said optical oscillator; optical pump means for optically pumping said plurality of glass rods simultaneously, said optical pump means being formed of an alexandrite laser; and compressor means for reducing the duration of the amplified output pulse and producing at an output thereof the ultra-high peak power optical pulse.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for producing an ultra-high peak power optical pulse, the system comprising: an optical oscillator for producing a short optical pulse having a predetermined duration; a plurality of glass rods, of the type which produce optical amplification, disposed in an optically serial arrangement having first and second ends, said plurality of glass rods being arranged at said first end thereof to receive said optical pulse from said optical oscillator, and at said second end thereof to output an amplified output pulse which has a duration longer than said predetermined duration of said short optical pulse from said optical oscillator; optical pump means for optically pumping said plurality of glass rods simultaneously, said optical pump means being formed of an alexandrite laser; and compressor means for reducing the duration of the amplified output pulse and producing at an output thereof the ultra-high peak power optical pulse.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 12 wherein there is further provided optical means for receiving the optical pulse from said optical oscillator and a pumping energy from said optical pump means, said optical means being coupled optically to said first end of said plurality of glass rods.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said alexandrite laser operates in a free-running mode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said glass rods are formed of Nd:glass.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said Nd:glass rods are formed of respectively different types of glass, so as to have respectively different central frequency characteristics.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said optical pumping means is a tunable optical pumping means, said tunable optical pumping means being tunable within a range of approximately between 700 and 800 nm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said short optical pulse from said optical oscillator is a chirped pulse.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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