US5410559A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Diode pumped laser with strong thermal lens crystal
Assignee: Newport Corp USA
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Filing: 1994-02-04
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Granted: 1995-04-25
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Expires: 2014-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A high power, highly efficient laser that produces a polarized, round diffraction limited gaussian beam is disclosed. A strong thermal lens laser crystal with controlled ellipticity, is mounted in a laserhead and pumped by a fiber-bundle-coupled diode source. The pump beam diameter in the crystal is greater than the crystal's TEMOO mode diameter. The laser operates well over a large range of pump powers. Its slope efficiency in the TEMOO mode is greater than 40%, with an overall efficiency greater than 25%. One of the lasing crystals used is Nd:YVO4. This material exhibits high gain and a short upper state lifetime. These properties make it attractive in designing a Q-switched laser, or one that is insensitive to optical feedback.
Inventors
- 👤 William L. Nighan, Jr.
- 👤 Mark S. Keirstead
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 07:39
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/0941; H01S3/09415; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/08072; H01S3/094049; H01S3/094053; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1611; H01S3/163; H01S3/1671; H01S3/1673
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 53
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the laser has an optical slope efficiency in a TEMOO mode of greater than about 40%.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the laser has an overall efficiency greater than about 25%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the TEMOO mode diameter to the pump beam diameter in the crystal is in the range of about less than 1.0 to 0.83.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the output beam has an M2 of less than about 1.2.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the output beam has an M2 of less than about 1.05.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the output beam has a least squares deviation of a beam profile from a gaussian of less than about 10%.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the laser produces an output beam with a power of about 1 to 12 W.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the laser produces an output beam with a power greater than about 4 W.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the resonator has a length of about 10 cm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
10 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the crystal is Nd:YVO4.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laser of claim 11; wherein a percentage of Nd in the crystal is about 0.5 to 3.0%.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The laser of claim 1, further including an aperture stop positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler along the resonator optical axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 1, further including a Q-switch in the resonator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the diode pump source is a diode bar.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the diode pump source is a plurality of diode bars.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the diode pump source includes a plurality of optical fibers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the diode pump source includes a plurality of fiber bundles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 17, wherein the pump beam has a nearly top hat shape geometry.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the crystal has a non-cylindrical geometry.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the crystal has a cubic geometry.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the crystal has a rectangular geometry.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The laser of claim 1, wherein the laser has a plurality of high reflectors.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
109 words
A high efficiency diode pumped laser, comprising: a high reflector and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; an anisotropic strong thermal lens; a heat sink mount for the laser crystal including a heat sink for conducting substantially all heat generated in the laser crystal away from the laser crystal; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a substantially round, nearly diffraction limited output beam with high efficiency; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
109 words
A high efficiency diode pumped laser, comprising: a high reflector and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; an anisotropic strong thermal lens; a heat sink mount for the laser crystal including a heat sink for conducting substantially all heat generated in the laser crystal away from the laser crystal; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a substantially round, nearly diffraction limited output beam with high efficiency; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the laser has a plurality of high reflectors.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the laser has an optical slope efficiency in a TEMOO mode of greater than 40%.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the laser has an overall efficiency greater than about 25%.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein a ratio of the TEMOO mode diameter to the pump beam diameter in the crystal is in the range of about less than 1.0 to 0.83.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the output beam has an M2 of less than about 1.2.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the output beam has a substantially gaussian beam profile.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the laser produces an output beam with an output power of about 1 to 12 W.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the laser produces an output beam with an output power greater than about 4 W.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the resonator has a length of about 10 cm.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
10 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the crystal is Nd:YVO4.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
The laser of claim 34, wherein a percentage of Nd in the crystal is about 0.5 to 3.0%.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
The laser of claim 24, further including an aperture stop positioned in the resonator between the high reflector and the output coupler along the resonator optical axis.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 24, further including a Q-switch in the resonator.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
14 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the diode pump source is a diode bar.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the diode pump source is a plurality of diode bars.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the diode pump source includes a plurality of optical fibers.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the diode pump source includes a plurality of optical fiber bundles.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser of claim 40, wherein the pump beam is a nearly top hat geometry.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the crystal has a non-cylindrical geometry.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the crystal has a cubic geometry.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
12 words
The laser of claim 24, wherein the crystal has a rectangular geometry.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
107 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a non-birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a polarization device positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
107 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a non-birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a polarization device positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
117 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; an aperture stop positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler along the resonator optical axis; a Q-switch in the resonator; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
117 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; an aperture stop positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler along the resonator optical axis; a Q-switch in the resonator; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
132 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a non-birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a polarization device positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; an aperture stop positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler along the resonator optical axis; a Q-switch in the resonator; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
132 words
A high power diode pumped laser, comprising: a resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis; a non-birefringent strong thermal lens laser crystal mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis; a polarization device positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal in the laser resonator generating a pump beam diameter greater than a TEMOO mode diameter in the laser crystal, producing a polarized, nearly diffraction limited, output beam with high efficiency; an aperture stop positioned in the resonator between the resonator mirror and the output coupler along the resonator optical axis; a Q-switch in the resonator; and a power source supplying power to the diode pump source.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-04-24 | 1998-10-24 | 1999-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-04-24 | 2002-10-24 | 2003-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-04-24 | 2006-10-24 | 2007-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |