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Laser cavity passively switched by a saturable absorber and laser incorporating said cavity

Assignee: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et Aux Énergies Alternatives
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Filing: 1994-11-14
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Granted: 1996-03-26
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Expires: 2014-11-14
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Abstract

Abstract A laser cavity with passive switching by a saturable absorber and a laser incorporating the cavity. The laser cavity has a solid, active material saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror. The saturable absorber is a thin film of saturable absorber material directly deposited on the solid, active medium. The laser incorporates such cavity and a mechanism for pumping the cavity.

Inventors

  • 👤 Isabelle Chartier
  • 👤 Bernard Ferrand
  • 👤 Denis Pelenc
  • 👤 Christophe Wyon

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 03:02
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/11; H01S3/1123; H01S3/113; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/35; G02F1/3523; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/0602; H01S3/0612; H01S3/0615; H01S3/0627; H01S3/063; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094084; H01S3/0941; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1608; H01S3/161; H01S3/1611; H01S3/1616; H01S3/1618; H01S3/163; H01S3/1631; H01S3/1635; H01S3/164; H01S3/1643; H01S3/1645; H01S3/1653; H01S3/1655; H01S3/1661; H01S3/1671; H01S3/1673

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 38 words
A laser cavity, which comprises: a solid, active laser medium, a saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber comprises a thin saturable absorber material film deposited directly on the solid, active medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 38 words
A laser cavity, which comprises: a solid, active laser medium, a saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber comprises a thin saturable absorber material film deposited directly on the solid, active medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
Laser cavity according to claim 1, wherein the thin film is obtained by liquid phase epitaxy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
Laser cavity according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the refractive index of the saturable absorber film is adapted to the refractive index of the solid, active medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
Laser cavity according to claim 3, wherein the thin film is formed from a base material having an identical or similar crystal structure to that of the solid, active medium and wherein said base material is doped with one of erbium, chromium, thulium and holmium ions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
Laser cavity according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the cavity exit mirror is directly deposited on the saturable absorber film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
Laser cavity according to claim 5, wherein the entrance mirror is directly deposited on the solid, active medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
Laser cavity according to either of claims 1 or 2, wherein the cavity includes a waveguide structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
Laser cavity according to claim 7, wherein the active laser material comprises a first film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
Laser cavity according to claim 8, wherein the saturable absorber film is located between the first active laser medium film and a second active laser medium film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
Laser cavity according to claim 9, wherein the two active laser medium films are deposited by liquid phase epitaxy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
Laser cavity according to claim 9, wherein the three thin films have an index gradient so as to optimize guidance.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 52 words
Laser cavity according to claim 11, wherein the saturable absorber film is formed from a base material having an identical or similar crystal structure to that of the solid, active medium, and wherein said base material is doped with ions selected from the group consisting of erbium, chromium, thulium or holmium ions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
A laser incorporating a laser cavity according to one of claims 1 or 2 and including cavity pumping means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 19 words
A laser incorporating a laser cavity according to one of claims 1 or 2 and including a cavity pump.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 47 words
Laser cavity incorporating a solid, active laser medium, a saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber comprises a thin saturable absorber material film, the cavity having a waveguide structure and wherein the active medium and saturable absorber comprise a single film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 47 words
Laser cavity incorporating a solid, active laser medium, a saturable absorber, an entrance mirror and an exit mirror, wherein the saturable absorber comprises a thin saturable absorber material film, the cavity having a waveguide structure and wherein the active medium and saturable absorber comprise a single film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 15 words
Laser cavity according to claim 15, wherein the film is obtained by liquid phase epitaxy.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 40 words
Laser cavity according to claim 16, wherein the single film comprises a base material, doped with a first and second type of ions, the first ion type providing active laser medium properties and the second type providing saturable absorber properties.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
Laser cavity according to claim 17, wherein the index of the film is adapted by Ga doping.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3270291A Cited
GB1566716A Cited
US5309471A Cited
US5278855A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-03-26 1999-09-25 2000-03-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-03-26 2003-09-25 2004-03-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-03-26 2007-09-25 2008-03-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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