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US5488626A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of and apparatus for pumping of transition metal ion containing solid state lasers using diode laser sources

Assignee: Light Age Inc
•
Filing: 1991-01-14
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Granted: 1996-01-30
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Expires: 2011-01-14
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention encompasses an apparatus for pumping a vibronic laser, which comprises: a transition-metal ion-containing solid state vibronic laser gain medium; a means for exciting said laser medium to emit coherent radiation said exciting means being a pumping source comprising at least one laser diode operating at a wavelength shorter than 750 nm; and an optical resonator means for generating and controlling said coherent radiation. The present invention also encompasses a method of pumping a vibronic laser comprising the steps of: generating a laser diode pumping beam at a wavelength shorter than 750 nm; exciting a transition-metal ion-containing solid state vibronic laser gain medium by impinging said laser diode pumping beam on said transition-metal ion-containing solid state laser gain medium, so as to excite the laser medium; and an optical resonator to emit coherent radiation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Donald F. Heller
  • 👤 Timothy C. Chin
  • 👤 Jerzy S. Krasinski

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 14:22
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/0941; H01S3/09415; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/09408; H01S3/1601; H01S3/162; H01S3/1623; H01S3/1625; H01S3/163; H01S3/1631; H01S3/1633; H01S3/1636; H01S3/1645; H01S3/1648

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 57 words
An apparatus for pumping a vibronic laser, which comprises: a transition-metal ion-containing solid state vibronic laser gain medium; means for exciting said laser medium to emit radiation said exciting means being a pumping source comprising at least one laser diode operating at a wavelength shorter than 750 nm; and an optical resonator means for generating coherent radiation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 57 words
An apparatus for pumping a vibronic laser, which comprises: a transition-metal ion-containing solid state vibronic laser gain medium; means for exciting said laser medium to emit radiation said exciting means being a pumping source comprising at least one laser diode operating at a wavelength shorter than 750 nm; and an optical resonator means for generating coherent radiation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is doped with Cr +3 ions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is alexandrite.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is emerald or Cr +3 :LiSrAlF 6 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said laser diodes are visible semiconductor diode lasers based on stochiometric compositions of AlGaInP.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vibronic laser gain medium is an alexandrite or emerald laser and the pumping is at a wavelength corresponding to the R line absorption and the lasing is on a vibronic transition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser gain medium is the vibronic laser media Cr +3 :LiCaAlF 6 or Cr +3 :LiSrAlF 6 and the diode laser wavelength is shorter than 680 nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vibronic laser gain medium is a Ti:Al 2 O 3 and the diode laser wavelength is shorter than 650 nm.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 69 words
A method of pumping a vibronic laser, comprising the steps of: generating a laser diode pumping beam at a wavelength shorter than 750 nm; exciting a transition-metal ion-containing solid state vibronic laser gain medium by impinging said laser diode pumping beam on said transition-metal ion-containing solid state laser medium, so as to excite the laser medium to emit stimulated emission; and recirculating said stimulated emission in an optical resonator.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 69 words
A method of pumping a vibronic laser, comprising the steps of: generating a laser diode pumping beam at a wavelength shorter than 750 nm; exciting a transition-metal ion-containing solid state vibronic laser gain medium by impinging said laser diode pumping beam on said transition-metal ion-containing solid state laser medium, so as to excite the laser medium to emit stimulated emission; and recirculating said stimulated emission in an optical resonator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is doped with Cr +3 ions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is alexandrite.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is emerald or Cr +3 :LiSrAlF 6 .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said laser diodes are visible semiconductor diode lasers based on a stochiometric compositions of AlGaInP.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is an alexandrite or emerald laser and the laser diode pumping beam is generated at a wavelength corresponding to the R line absorption and the lasing is on a vibronic transition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is Cr +3 :LiCaAlF 6 or Cr +3 :LiSrAlF 6 and the laser diode pumping beam is generated at a wavelength shorter than 680 nm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said solid state vibronic laser gain medium is Ti:Al 2 O 3 and the laser diode pumping beam is generated at a wavelength shorter than 650 nm.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4841530A Cited
US4932031A Cited
US4949347A Cited
US5027169A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-01-29 1999-07-31 2000-01-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-01-29 2003-07-31 2004-01-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-01-29 2007-07-31 2008-01-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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