US5321718A — Frequency converted laser diode and lens system t…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 93 words

A coherent light source comprising at least one semiconductor optical source generating and emitting an optical output with a single transverse and lateral mode, said optical output being emitted from an optical aperture of said at least one semiconductor optical source with a lateral-to-transverse emission ratio of at least 10 to 1, means for exciting said at least one semiconductor optical source to generate said optical output, a nonlinear optical material, and optical coupling means for coupling said optical output from said at least one semiconductor optical source into said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 93 words

A coherent light source comprising at least one semiconductor optical source generating and emitting an optical output with a single transverse and lateral mode, said optical output being emitted from an optical aperture of said at least one semiconductor optical source with a lateral-to-transverse emission ratio of at least 10 to 1, means for exciting said at least one semiconductor optical source to generate said optical output, a nonlinear optical material, and optical coupling means for coupling said optical output from said at least one semiconductor optical source into said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

The coherent light source of claim 1 wherein at least one of said semiconductor optical source contains a flared optical power amplifier.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The coherent light source of claim 1 wherein at least one said semiconductor optical source is an at most marginally stable optical resonator with a spatial mode filter.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

The coherent light source of claim 1 wherein at least one of said semiconductor optical sources is wavelength tunable.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The coherent light source of claim 1 wherein said optical coupling means also corrects for astigmatism of said optical output from said at least one semiconductor optical source between orthogonal transverse and lateral directions defined by said at least one semiconductor optical source.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

The coherent light source of claim 5 wherein said optical coupling means also focuses said optical output to transverse and lateral beam waists located within said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

The coherent light source of claim 1 wherein said excitation means includes means for modulating the optical output from at least one said semiconductor optical source.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 39 words

The coherent light source of claim 7 wherein said excitation means further includes means for electrically exciting at least one said semiconductor optical source with at least one different current density along a length of said semiconductor optical source.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 19 words

The coherent light source of claim 1 wherein said nonlinear optical material is located within a resonant optical cavity.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

The coherent light source of claim 9 wherein said resonant optical cavity is configured as a ring resonant cavity.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The coherent light source of claim 9 wherein said resonant optical cavity is configured as a linear resonant cavity.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

The coherent light source of claim 1 wherein said nonlinear optical material includes a nonlinear material optical waveguide with polarization domain reversals.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 15 words

The coherent light source of claim 12 wherein said polarization domain reversals are substantially periodic.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 29 words

The coherent light source of claim 12 wherein said polarization domain reversals occur with a variable periodicity, whereby frequency conversion is allowed for a broad band of input wavelengths.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 76 words

A semiconductor laser comprising a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device capable of generating a high power asymmetric coherent light beam of a first wavelength, and an optical frequency converter positioned to receive said high power coherent light beam from said MOPA device and capable of generating a second light beam from a portion of the power of said high power light beam, said second light beam having a second wavelength different from said first wavelength.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 76 words

A semiconductor laser comprising a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device capable of generating a high power asymmetric coherent light beam of a first wavelength, and an optical frequency converter positioned to receive said high power coherent light beam from said MOPA device and capable of generating a second light beam from a portion of the power of said high power light beam, said second light beam having a second wavelength different from said first wavelength.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

The laser of claim 15 wherein said MOPA device includes a single mode DBR laser oscillator.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 15 words

The laser of claim 15 wherein said MOPA device includes a multimode power amplifier region.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 15 words

The laser of claim 15 wherein said multimode amplifier region is a flared amplifier region.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 15 wherein said frequency converter is a second harmonic generator.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 18 words

The laser of claim 19 wherein said second harmonic generator comprises a bulk crystal of optically nonlinear material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 16 words

The laser of claim 20 wherein said bulk crystal is located within a resonant optical cavity.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 16 words

The laser of claim 19 wherein said second harmonic generator includes a nonlinear material optical waveguide.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 22 wherein said waveguide has periodic ferroelectric polarization domain reversals.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 17 words

The laser of claim 22 wherein said waveguide supports only a single spatial mode of light propagation.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 22 wherein said waveguide is a broad area multimode waveguide.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

The laser of claim 15 wherein said high power coherent light beam of said first wavelength has a light path that passes through said frequency converter only once.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 50 words

The laser of claim 15 wherein said high power beam has a light path that passes through said frequency converter at least twice, reflection means being positioned in said light path of said high power beam for reflecting light of at least said first wavelength back into said frequency converter.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 21 words

The laser of claim 27 wherein said reflection means is highly reflective of light of both said first and second wavelengths.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 59 words

The laser of claim 28 wherein said reflection means comprises a planar mirror, a beamsplitter transmissive of said first wavelength and reflective of said second wavelength being positioned in a return light path of said high power light beam and of said second light beam to couple said second light beam out of said laser as an output beam.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 35 words

The laser of claim 27 wherein said reflection means comprises at least one right-angle retroreflector positioned in said light path to return said high power beam through said frequency converter along a parallel light path.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 30 words

The laser of claim 30 further including means for focussing said light beam in said frequency converter and collimating said light beam for incidence upon said at least one retroreflector.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 30 words

The laser of claim 31 wherein said focussing and collimating means comprises a pair of lens arrays situated in said parallel light paths on opposite sides of said frequency converter.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 141 words

A semiconductor laser comprising a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device capable of generating a high power coherent light beam of a first wavelength, an optical frequency converter positioned to receive said high power coherent light beam from said MOPA device and capable of generating a second light beam from a portion of the power of said high power light beam, said second light beam having a second wavelength different from said first wavelength, and an astigmatism-correcting lens system positioned in said light path between said MOPA device and said frequency converter, said lens system providing a modified laser beam with substantially equal lateral and transverse beam width dimensions and substantially equal lateral and transverse beam divergence angles, where `lateral` and `transverse` refer to directions respectively parallel and perpendicular to a plane of an active gain region of said MOPA device.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 141 words

A semiconductor laser comprising a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device capable of generating a high power coherent light beam of a first wavelength, an optical frequency converter positioned to receive said high power coherent light beam from said MOPA device and capable of generating a second light beam from a portion of the power of said high power light beam, said second light beam having a second wavelength different from said first wavelength, and an astigmatism-correcting lens system positioned in said light path between said MOPA device and said frequency converter, said lens system providing a modified laser beam with substantially equal lateral and transverse beam width dimensions and substantially equal lateral and transverse beam divergence angles, where `lateral` and `transverse` refer to directions respectively parallel and perpendicular to a plane of an active gain region of said MOPA device.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 120 words

The laser of claim 33 wherein said lens system comprises a first spherical lens positioned with a focal plane thereof at an output surface of said MOPA device so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction and to focus the light beam in the lateral direction, and a positive cylinder lens positioned beyond the lateral focus of the light beam where the lateral width dimension of the light beam has re-expanded to be identical to the transverse width dimension of the light beam, said cylinder lens having a positive lateral focal length equal to an effective optical distance from the lateral focus to said cylinder lens so as to collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 34 words

The laser of claim 34 wherein said first spherical lens is a compound lens which is diffraction limited for both finite and infinite conjugate distances of said light beam received from said MOPA device.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 34 wherein said first spherical lens is a single asphere.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 39 words

The laser of claim 34 wherein said lens system further includes a negative cylinder lens positioned between said lateral focus of said light beam and said positive cylinder lens, said negative cylinder lens having a negative lateral focal length.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 172 words

The laser of claim 33 wherein said lens system comprises a microlens with two crossed positive cylinder lens surfaces formed on opposite sides of a transparent substrate, a first of said cylinder lens surfaces being positioned at a distance from an output surface of said MOPA device at which the transverse width dimension of said light beam has expanded to substantially equal the lateral width dimension of said light beam at a second of said cylinder lens surfaces, said first cylinder lens surface having a transverse focal length substantially equal to the distance from said output surface of said MOPA device to said first cylinder lens surface so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction, said second cylinder lens surface having a lateral focal length substantially equal to the effective optical distance of the light path from an input end of a power amplifier within said MOPA device through said output surface to said second cylinder lens surface so as to collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 147 words

The laser of claim 33 wherein said lens system comprises a microlens with a positive toric lens surface and a planar surface on opposite sides of a transparent substrate, said toric lens surface being positioned at a first effective optical distance of the light path from an output surface of said MOPA device thereto where the transverse width dimension of said light beam has expanded to substantially equal the lateral width dimension, said toric lens surface having a transverse focal length substantially equal to said first effective optical distance so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction, said toric lens surface also having a lateral focal length substantially equal to a second effective optical distance from an input end of a power amplifier within said MOPA device to said toric lens surface so as to also collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 76 words

The laser of claim 33 wherein said MOPA device includes a lens integrated therein at an output end of a power amplifier of said MOPA device, said lens having a lateral focal length in said device substantially equal to an effective optical distance from an input end of said power amplifier to said lens so as to collimate the light in the lateral direction prior to being emitted from an output surface of said MOPA device.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 61 words

The laser of claim 40 wherein said lens system comprises a cylinder microlens positioned in the light path at a distance where the transverse width dimension of the light beam has expanded to substantially equal the lateral width dimensions and having a transverse focal length substantially equal to said distance so as to collimate said light beam in the transverse direction.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 130 words

The laser of claim 40 wherein said lens system comprises a first spherical lens having a positive focal length equal to a distance from said output surface of said MOPA device to said first spherical lens so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction and to focus the light beam in the lateral direction, and a positive cylinder lens positioned beyond the lateral focus of the light beam where the lateral width dimension of the light beam has reexpanded to be substantially identical to the transverse width dimension of the light beam, said cylinder lens having a positive lateral focal length substantially equal to an effective optical distance from the lateral focus to said cylinder lens so as to collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 46 words

The laser of claim 40 wherein said MOPA device further includes a surface emitting detuned grating output coupler positioned to receive said laterally collimated light from said integral lens and to direct the light vertically out of a top or bottom surface of said MOPA device.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 35 words

The laser of claim 43 wherein said grating output coupler has a grating pitch and overall length selected so that the vertically directed output light beam from said MOPA device has substantially symmetric width dimensions.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 50 words

The laser of claim 15 wherein said MOPA device includes a surface emitting detuned grating output coupler positioned at an output end of a power amplifier of said MOPA device to receive light therefrom and direct the light vertically out of a top or bottom surface of said MOPA device.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 44 words

The laser of claim 45 wherein said grating output coupler has plural, periodically spaced grating teeth, each grating tooth being curved to coincide with a lateral phase front of the light so as to collimate the vertically directed light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 75 words

The laser of claim 45 wherein said grating output coupler has plural, periodically spaced, parallel, straight grating teeth, said laser further comprising a cylinder lens in the path of the vertically directed output light beam with a lateral focal length substantially equal to an effective optical distance along the light path to an input end of said power amplifier of said MOPA device so as to collimate the output light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 162 words

A semiconductor laser comprising a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device having a single mode laser oscillator and a multimode optical power amplifier region coupled to said laser oscillator capable of generating a high power coherent light beam, said light beam characterized by differing lateral and transverse beam width dimensions and differing lateral and transverse beam divergence angles, with a lateral beam waist located at an input end of said power amplifier region proximate to said laser oscillator and with a transverse beam waist located at an output surface of said MOPA device, where `lateral` and `transverse` refer to directions respectively parallel and perpendicular to a plane of an active gain region of said MOPA device, and an astigmatism-correcting lens system positioned in the path of said light beam output from said MOPA device, said lens system adapted to provide a modified laser beam with substantially equal lateral and transverse beam width dimensions and substantially equal lateral and transverse beam divergence angles.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 162 words

A semiconductor laser comprising a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device having a single mode laser oscillator and a multimode optical power amplifier region coupled to said laser oscillator capable of generating a high power coherent light beam, said light beam characterized by differing lateral and transverse beam width dimensions and differing lateral and transverse beam divergence angles, with a lateral beam waist located at an input end of said power amplifier region proximate to said laser oscillator and with a transverse beam waist located at an output surface of said MOPA device, where `lateral` and `transverse` refer to directions respectively parallel and perpendicular to a plane of an active gain region of said MOPA device, and an astigmatism-correcting lens system positioned in the path of said light beam output from said MOPA device, said lens system adapted to provide a modified laser beam with substantially equal lateral and transverse beam width dimensions and substantially equal lateral and transverse beam divergence angles.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 16 words

The laser of claim 48 wherein said MOPA device includes a single mode DBR laser oscillator.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 15 words

The laser of claim 48 wherein said MOPA device includes a multimode power amplifier region.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 15 words

The laser of claim 50 wherein said multimode amplifier region is a flared amplifier region.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 120 words

The laser of claim 48 wherein said lens system comprises a first spherical lens positioned with a focal plane thereof at an output surface of said MOPA device so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction and to focus the light beam in the lateral direction, and a positive cylinder lens positioned beyond the lateral focus of the light beam where the lateral width dimension of the light beam has re-expanded to be identical to the transverse width dimension of the light beam, said cylinder lens having a positive lateral focal length equal to an effective optical distance from the lateral focus to said cylinder lens so as to collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 34 words

The laser of claim 52 wherein said first spherical lens is a compound lens which is diffraction limited for both finite and infinite conjugate distances of said light beam received from said MOPA device.

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 52 wherein said first spherical lens is a single asphere.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 39 words

The laser of claim 52 wherein said lens system further includes a negative cylinder lens positioned between said lateral focus of said light beam and said positive cylinder lens, said negative cylinder lens having a negative lateral focal length.

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 172 words

The laser of claim 48 wherein said lens system comprises a microlens with two crossed positive cylinder lens surfaces formed on opposite sides of a transparent substrate, a first of said cylinder lens surfaces being positioned at a distance from an output surface of said MOPA device at which the transverse width dimension of said light beam has expanded to substantially equal the lateral width dimension of said light beam at a second of said cylinder lens surfaces, said first cylinder lens surface having a transverse focal length substantially equal to the distance from said output surface of said MOPA device to said first cylinder lens surface so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction, said second cylinder lens surface having a lateral focal length substantially equal to the effective optical distance of the light path from an input end of a power amplifier within said MOPA device through said output surface to said second cylinder lens surface so as to collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 61

Dependent Claim 147 words

The laser of claim 48 wherein said lens system comprises a microlens with a positive toric lens surface and a planar surface on opposite sides of a transparent substrate, said toric lens surface being positioned at a first effective optical distance of the light path from an output surface of said MOPA device thereto where the transverse width dimension of said light beam has expanded to substantially equal the lateral width dimension, said toric lens surface having a transverse focal length substantially equal to said first effective optical distance so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction, said toric lens surface also having a lateral focal length substantially equal to a second effective optical distance from an input end of a power amplifier within said MOPA device to said toric lens surface so as to also collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 62

Dependent Claim 76 words

The laser of claim 48 wherein said MOPA device includes a lens integrated therein at an output end of a power amplifier of said MOPA device, said lens having a lateral focal length in said device substantially equal to an effective optical distance from an input end of said power amplifier to said lens so as to collimate the light in the lateral direction prior to being emitted from an output surface of said MOPA device.

Claim 63

Dependent Claim 61 words

The laser of claim 58 wherein said lens system comprises a cylinder microlens positioned in the light path at a distance where the transverse width dimension of the light beam has expanded to substantially equal the lateral width dimensions and having a transverse focal length substantially equal to said distance so as to collimate said light beam in the transverse direction.

Claim 64

Dependent Claim 130 words

The laser of claim 58 wherein said lens system comprises a first spherical lens having a positive focal length equal to a distance from said output surface of said MOPA device to said first spherical lens so as to collimate the light beam in the transverse direction and to focus the light beam in the lateral direction, and a positive cylinder lens positioned beyond the lateral focus of the light beam where the lateral width dimension of the light beam has reexpanded to be substantially identical to the transverse width dimension of the light beam, said cylinder lens having a positive lateral focal length substantially equal to an effective optical distance from the lateral focus to said cylinder lens so as to collimate the light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 65

Dependent Claim 46 words

The laser of claim 58 wherein said MOPA device further includes a surface emitting detuned grating output coupler positioned to receive said laterally collimated light from said integral lens and to direct the light vertically out of a top or bottom surface of said MOPA device.

Claim 66

Dependent Claim 35 words

The laser of claim 61 wherein said grating output coupler has a grating pitch and overall length selected so that the vertically directed output light beam from said MOPA device has substantially symmetric width dimensions.

Claim 67

Dependent Claim 50 words

The laser of claim 48 wherein said MOPA device includes a surface emitting detuned grating output coupler positioned at an output end of a power amplifier of said MOPA device to receive light therefrom and direct the light vertically out of a top or bottom surface of said MOPA device.

Claim 68

Dependent Claim 44 words

The laser of claim 63 wherein said grating output coupler has plural, periodically spaced grating teeth, each grating tooth being curved to coincide with a lateral phase front of the light so as to collimate the vertically directed light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 69

Dependent Claim 75 words

The laser of claim 63 wherein said grating output coupler has plural, periodically spaced, parallel, straight grating teeth, said laser further comprising a cylinder lens in the path of the vertically directed output light beam with a lateral focal length substantially equal to an effective optical distance along the light path to an input end of said power amplifier of said MOPA device so as to collimate the output light beam in the lateral direction.

Claim 70

Dependent Claim 86 words

A laser of claim 48 wherein an optical frequency converter is positioned to receive said modified laser beam from said astigmatism-correcting lens system and capable of generating a second light beam from a portion of the power of said modified laser beam, said high power coherent light beam from said MOPA device and said modified laser beam from said lens system being of a first wavelength, said second laser beam generated by said optical frequency converter being of a second wavelength different from said first wavelength.

Claim 71

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 66 wherein said frequency converter is a second harmonic generator.

Claim 72

Dependent Claim 18 words

The laser of claim 67 wherein said second harmonic generator comprises a bulk crystal of optically nonlinear material.

Claim 73

Dependent Claim 16 words

The laser of claim 68 wherein said bulk crystal is located within a resonant optical cavity.

Claim 74

Dependent Claim 16 words

The laser of claim 67 wherein said second harmonic generator includes a nonlinear material optical waveguide.

Claim 75

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 70 wherein said waveguide has periodic ferroelectric polarization domain reversals.

Claim 76

Dependent Claim 17 words

The laser of claim 70 wherein said waveguide supports only a single spatial mode of light propagation.

Claim 77

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 70 wherein said waveguide is a broad area multimode waveguide.

Claim 78

Dependent Claim 28 words

The laser of claim 66 wherein said high power coherent light beam of said first wavelength has a light path that passes through said frequency converter only once.

Claim 79

Dependent Claim 50 words

The laser of claim 66 wherein said high power beam has a light path that passes through said frequency converter at least twice, reflection means being positioned in said light path of said high power beam for reflecting light of at least said first wavelength back into said frequency converter.

Claim 80

Dependent Claim 21 words

The laser of claim 75 wherein said reflection means is highly reflective of light of both said first and second wavelengths.

Claim 81

Dependent Claim 59 words

The laser of claim 76 wherein said reflection means comprises a planar mirror, a beamsplitter transmissive of said first wavelength and reflective of said second wavelength being positioned in a return light path of said high power light beam and of said second light beam to couple said second light beam out of said laser as an output beam.

Claim 82

Dependent Claim 35 words

The laser of claim 75 wherein said reflection means comprises at least one right-angle retroreflector positioned in said light path to return said high power beam through said frequency converter along a parallel light path.

Claim 83

Dependent Claim 30 words

The laser of claim 78 further including means for focussing said light beam in said frequency converter and collimating said light beam for incidence upon said at least one retroreflector.

Claim 84

Dependent Claim 30 words

The laser of claim 79 wherein said focussing and collimating means comprises a pair of lens arrays situated in said parallel light paths on opposite sides of said frequency converter.

Claim 85

Dependent Claim 80 words

A semiconductor laser comprising at least two semiconductor laser oscillators capable of oscillating at and emitting light beams of different wavelengths, a semiconductor optical power amplifier optically coupled to said laser oscillators, excitation means for pumping said laser oscillators and said optical power amplifier, nonlinear optical material optically coupled to said optical power amplifier to receive high power coherent light therefrom so as to convert at least one wavelength of said light into another wavelength by a nonlinear optical process.

Claim 86

Dependent Claim 80 words

A semiconductor laser comprising at least two semiconductor laser oscillators capable of oscillating at and emitting light beams of different wavelengths, a semiconductor optical power amplifier optically coupled to said laser oscillators, excitation means for pumping said laser oscillators and said optical power amplifier, nonlinear optical material optically coupled to said optical power amplifier to receive high power coherent light therefrom so as to convert at least one wavelength of said light into another wavelength by a nonlinear optical process.

Claim 87

Dependent Claim 22 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein at least one of said laser oscillators has means for tuning its oscillation and emission wavelength.

Claim 88

Dependent Claim 25 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said excitation means for said at least two laser oscillators are injection currents that are independent of one another.

Claim 89

Dependent Claim 26 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said amplifier has a lateral aperture width that permits lightwaves received from said laser oscillators to expand laterally by diffraction.

Claim 90

Dependent Claim 33 words

The laser of claim 84 wherein said amplifier has a wider lateral aperture at an output end thereof than the lateral aperture width at an input end thereof adjacent to said laser oscillators.

Claim 91

Dependent Claim 31 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said excitation means for said amplifier is at least one injection current applied thereto which is independent from injection currents applied to said laser oscillators.

Claim 92

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said amplifier is differentially pumped along its length.

Claim 93

Dependent Claim 32 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein astigmatism correcting, optical means are disposed between said amplifier and said nonlinear optical material for providing an anastigmatic, symmetric light beam to said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 94

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said nonlinear optical process is sum frequency mixing.

Claim 95

Dependent Claim 14 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said nonlinear optical process is difference frequency mixing.

Claim 96

Dependent Claim 33 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said excitation means drives only a selected one of said laser oscillators to generate light of a single selected wavelength, said nonlinear optical process being frequency doubling.

Claim 97

Dependent Claim 29 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein said at least two semiconductor laser oscillators are closely spaced apart from one another and each laser oscillator couples directly to said amplifier.

Claim 98

Dependent Claim 24 words

The laser of claim 81 wherein means for combining said light beams of different wavelengths is positioned between said laser oscillators and said amplifier.

Claim 99

Dependent Claim 61 words

A coherent light source comprising at least two laser sources of different wavelengths, at least one of said laser sources being a semiconductor master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device, excitation means for pumping said laser sources to generate high power coherent light, a nonlinear optical material, and means for combining said light from said laser sources in said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 100

Dependent Claim 61 words

A coherent light source comprising at least two laser sources of different wavelengths, at least one of said laser sources being a semiconductor master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device, excitation means for pumping said laser sources to generate high power coherent light, a nonlinear optical material, and means for combining said light from said laser sources in said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 101

Dependent Claim 45 words

The coherent light source of claim 94 wherein an amplifier portion of said at least one MOPA device has a lateral aperture width that allows light in said MOPA device to expand laterally at least along a portion of the length of said amplifier portion.

Claim 102

Dependent Claim 18 words

The coherent light source of claim 94 wherein at least one of said laser sources is wavelength tunable.

Claim 103

Dependent Claim 25 words

The coherent light source of claim 94 wherein said excitation means are capable of providing different excitation levels to different portions of said laser sources.

Claim 104

Dependent Claim 18 words

The coherent light source of claim 94 wherein said nonlinear optical material is contained within a resonant cavity.

Claim 105

Dependent Claim 118 words

A coherent light source comprising an array of semiconductor master oscillator power amplifiers (MOPAs), each of said MOPAs in said array emitting light from an output surface of said MOPA which is asymmetric in its beam width between orthogonal transverse and lateral directions defined by said MOPA, with a lateral-to-transverse beam width ratio for said light output of at least 10 to 1 at said output surface, a nonlinear optical material capable of generating at least one light wavelength that is different from a wavelength of light provided by at least one of said MOPAs, and optical coupling means for bringing light generated by each of said MOPAs into said nonlinear optical material with a high power density.

Claim 106

Dependent Claim 118 words

A coherent light source comprising an array of semiconductor master oscillator power amplifiers (MOPAs), each of said MOPAs in said array emitting light from an output surface of said MOPA which is asymmetric in its beam width between orthogonal transverse and lateral directions defined by said MOPA, with a lateral-to-transverse beam width ratio for said light output of at least 10 to 1 at said output surface, a nonlinear optical material capable of generating at least one light wavelength that is different from a wavelength of light provided by at least one of said MOPAs, and optical coupling means for bringing light generated by each of said MOPAs into said nonlinear optical material with a high power density.

Claim 107

Dependent Claim 19 words

The coherent light source of claim 99 wherein at least two of said MOPAs emit different wavelengths of light.

Claim 108

Dependent Claim 17 words

The coherent light source of claim 99 wherein at least one of said MOPAs is wavelength tunable.

Claim 109

Dependent Claim 16 words

The coherent light source of claim 99 wherein at least one of said MOPAs is modulatable.

Claim 110

Dependent Claim 29 words

The coherent light source of claim 99 wherein said optical coupling means comprises at least one lens array disposed between said array of MOPAs and said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 111

Dependent Claim 69 words

The coherent light source of claim 103 wherein said optical coupling means comprises a cylinder lens for focusing light in a transverse direction perpendicular to said array of MOPAs and a cylinder lens array for focusing said light in a lateral direction parallel to said array of MOPAs, said cylinder lens and said cylinder lens array positioned to provide transverse and lateral beam waists within said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 112

Dependent Claim 60 words

The coherent light source of claim 103 wherein said optical coupling means comprises a cylinder lens for collimating light in a transverse direction perpendicular to said array of MOPAs and a spherical lens array positioned with respect to said cylinder lens so as to bring light beams from said array of MOPAs to a focus inside said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 113

Dependent Claim 31 words

The coherent light source of claim 99 wherein a single diffraction lens array brings at least one beam from said array of MOPAs to a focus in said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 114

Dependent Claim 123 words

A coherent light source comprising at least one monolithic semiconductor master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device, means for exciting said at least one MOPA device to generate and emit an optical output, said optical output from said at least one MOPA device being asymmetric in its beam width between orthogonal transverse and lateral directions defined by said MOPA device, with a lateral-to-transverse beam width ratio for said optical output of at least 10 to 1 at an optical output aperture of said at least one MOPA device, a nonlinear optical material contained within a resonant optical cavity, and optical coupling means for matching the optical output from said at least one MOPA device to said resonant optical cavity containing said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 115

Dependent Claim 123 words

A coherent light source comprising at least one monolithic semiconductor master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device, means for exciting said at least one MOPA device to generate and emit an optical output, said optical output from said at least one MOPA device being asymmetric in its beam width between orthogonal transverse and lateral directions defined by said MOPA device, with a lateral-to-transverse beam width ratio for said optical output of at least 10 to 1 at an optical output aperture of said at least one MOPA device, a nonlinear optical material contained within a resonant optical cavity, and optical coupling means for matching the optical output from said at least one MOPA device to said resonant optical cavity containing said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 116

Dependent Claim 20 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 wherein at least one said MOPA device includes a multimode optical power amplifier.

Claim 117

Dependent Claim 20 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 wherein at least one said MOPA device includes a flared optical power amplifier.

Claim 118

Dependent Claim 55 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 wherein at least one said MOPA device is wavelength tunable and said excitation means includes means for tuning the wavelength of said optical output from said at least one wavelength tunable MOPA device to match a resonant condition of said resonant optical cavity containing said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 119

Dependent Claim 52 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 said optical coupling means focuses said optical output to transverse and lateral beam waists located within said resonant optical cavity containing said nonlinear optical material, said transverse and lateral beam waists of said focused optical output matching beam waists established by said resonant optical cavity.

Claim 120

Dependent Claim 42 words

The coherent light source of claim 111 wherein said optical coupling means also corrects for astigmatism of said optical output from said at least one MOPA device between orthogonal transverse and lateral directions of said optical output defined by said MOPA device.

Claim 121

Dependent Claim 22 words

The coherent light source of claim 112 wherein said optical coupling means includes an adjustable lens system for providing said astigmatism correction.

Claim 122

Dependent Claim 27 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 wherein said optical coupling means includes at least one optical element monolithically integrated with at least one said MOPA device.

Claim 123

Dependent Claim 47 words

The coherent light source of claim 114 wherein said monolithically integrated optical element has means for electronically controlling an optical parameter of said optical element so as to be able to optimize coupling of said optical output to said resonant optical cavity containing said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 124

Dependent Claim 17 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 wherein said resonant optical cavity is a ring resonant cavity.

Claim 125

Dependent Claim 17 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 wherein said resonant optical cavity is a linear resonant cavity.

Claim 126

Dependent Claim 97 words

A coherent light source comprising at least one monolithic semiconductor master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device, means for exciting said at least one MOPA device to generate and emit an optical output, a nonlinear optical material contained within a resonant optical cavity, said resonant optical cavity having at least one reflector with greater than 50% reflectivity to light of the wavelength of the optical output from said at least one MOPA device, optical coupling means for matching the optical output from said at least one MOPA device to said resonant optical cavity containing said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 127

Dependent Claim 97 words

A coherent light source comprising at least one monolithic semiconductor master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device, means for exciting said at least one MOPA device to generate and emit an optical output, a nonlinear optical material contained within a resonant optical cavity, said resonant optical cavity having at least one reflector with greater than 50% reflectivity to light of the wavelength of the optical output from said at least one MOPA device, optical coupling means for matching the optical output from said at least one MOPA device to said resonant optical cavity containing said nonlinear optical material.

Claim 128

Dependent Claim 29 words

The coherent light source of claim 107 wherein said excitation means includes means for separately modulating at least one region of an optical power amplifier of said MOPA device.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-06-13	1997-12-13	1998-06-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-06-13	2001-12-13	2002-06-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-06-13	2005-12-13	2006-06-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Frequency converted laser diode and lens system therefor

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