Optimized laser energy conversion through automatic mode matched pumping

Claim 1

A semiconductor laser system comprising: a) a body of material having first and second opposed faces, said body having a temperature variant index of refraction; b) a semiconductor quantum-well structure on said first face of said body, said quantum-well structure having a temperature variant index of refraction; c) a first mirror on said quantum-well structure; d) a second mirror on said second face of said body, said first and second mirrors defining a resonant cavity therebetween of length L; and e) an energy source for pumping said quantum-well structure with energy for producing laser gain in said quantum-well structure, said laser gain causing a laser beam of wavelength λ to propagate within said cavity, said energy being absorbed by said quantum-well structure thereby raising the temperature of a region proximal to said quantum-well structure by an amount ΔT, said region being of diameter D th and thickness h th , forming a thermal lens within said resonant cavity having an effective radius of curvature R which is a function of said diameter D th , said thickness h th , and said rise in temperature ΔT of said region, said thermal lens concentrating said laser beam substantially within a diameter D, said diameter of laser beam concentration D being substantially equivalent to said diameter of said heated region D th , said diameter D being a function of said thermal lens radius of curvature R, said length of said cavity L, and said wavelength λ of said laser beam, said cavity being of sufficient length L such that a stable transverse mode of said laser beam is produced.

Claim 7

A method of producing a laser beam from a semiconductor laser comprising the steps of: a) forming a semiconductor quantum-well structure over a first face of a body of material having opposing first and second faces said body being relatively thick as compared to said quantum-well structure; b) forming a first mirror on said quantum-well structure; and c) forming a second mirror on said second face of said body, said first and second mirrors defining a resonant cavity therebetween; d) optically pumping said cavity in a longitudinal direction with pump energy of a power, said pump energy heating a region within a first diameter proximal to said quantum-well structure, forming a thermal lens which produces a stable transverse mode resonator for concentrating a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter; and e) setting the power of said pump energy such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

Claim 8

A method of producing a laser beam from a semiconductor laser comprising the steps of: a) forming a semiconductor quantum-well structure over a first face of a body of material having opposing first and second faces said body being relatively thick as compared to said quantum-well structure; b) forming a first mirror on said quantum-well structure; and c) forming a second mirror on said second face of said body, said first and second mirrors defining a resonant cavity therebetween; d) optically pumping said cavity in a longitudinal direction with pump energy of a power, said pump energy heating a region within a first diameter proximal to said quantum-well structure, forming a thermal lens which produces a stable transverse mode resonator for concentrating a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter; and e) setting the power of said pump energy such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

Claim 9

A method of producing laser light from a semiconductor laser system comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor quantum-well structure on a first face of a body of material having opposed first and second faces, said body and said quantum-well structure each having a temperature variant index of refraction; b) providing a first mirror on said quantum-well structure; c) providing a second mirror on said second face of said body, said first and second mirrors defining a resonant cavity therebetween of length L; and d) pumping said quantum-well structure with pump energy for producing laser gain in said quantum-well structure, said laser gain causing a laser beam of wavelength λ to propagate within said cavity, said energy being absorbed by said quantum-well structure thereby raising the temperature of a region proximal to said quantum-well structure by an amount ΔT, said region being of diameter D th and thickness h th , forming a thermal lens within said resonant cavity having an effective radius of curvature R which is a function of said diameter D th , said thickness h th , and said rise in temperature ΔT of said region, said thermal lens concentrating said laser beam substantially within a diameter D, said diameter of laser beam concentration D being substantially equivalent to said diameter of said heated region D th , said diameter D being a function of said thermal lens radius of curvature R, said length of said cavity L, and said wavelength λ of said laser beam, said cavity being of sufficient length L such that a stable transverse mode of said laser beam is produced.

Claim 10

A method of producing laser light from a semiconductor laser system comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor quantum-well structure on a first face of a body of material having opposed first and second faces, said body and said quantum-well structure each having a temperature variant index of refraction; b) providing a first mirror on said quantum-well structure; c) providing a second mirror on said second face of said body, said first and second mirrors defining a resonant cavity therebetween of length L; and d) pumping said quantum-well structure with pump energy for producing laser gain in said quantum-well structure, said laser gain causing a laser beam of wavelength λ to propagate within said cavity, said energy being absorbed by said quantum-well structure thereby raising the temperature of a region proximal to said quantum-well structure by an amount ΔT, said region being of diameter D th and thickness h th , forming a thermal lens within said resonant cavity having an effective radius of curvature R which is a function of said diameter D th , said thickness h th , and said rise in temperature ΔT of said region, said thermal lens concentrating said laser beam substantially within a diameter D, said diameter of laser beam concentration D being substantially equivalent to said diameter of said heated region D th , said diameter D being a function of said thermal lens radius of curvature R, said length of said cavity L, and said wavelength λ of said laser beam, said cavity being of sufficient length L such that a stable transverse mode of said laser beam is produced.

Claim 13

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of: a) disposing an active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces; b) pumping the active medium through one of said surfaces with a pump beam of a first diameter and of a power, said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens; said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam; and c) setting said pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

Claim 14

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of: a) disposing an active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces; b) pumping the active medium through one of said surfaces with a pump beam of a first diameter and of a power, said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens; said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam; and c) setting said pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

Claim 35

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of: a) disposing a semiconductor active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces; b) pumping the active medium through one of said surfaces with a pump beam of a first diameter and of a power, said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens; said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam; and c) setting said pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

Claim 36

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of: a) disposing a semiconductor active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces; b) pumping the active medium through one of said surfaces with a pump beam of a first diameter and of a power, said pump beam heating a region of said active medium, forming a positive thermal lens; said lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam; and c) setting said pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

Claim 37

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of: a) disposing an active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces; b) pumping an array of laterally spaced segments of the active medium through one of said surfaces with a corresponding array of pump beams, each pump beam being of a first diameter and of a power, each pump beam heating a region of said segment of said active medium, forming an array of positive thermal lenses; each lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping, each laser beam being confined within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam; and c) setting each pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.

Claim 38

A method for generating a laser beam comprising the steps of: a) disposing an active medium between two opposed substantially parallel reflective surfaces; b) pumping an array of laterally spaced segments of the active medium through one of said surfaces with a corresponding array of pump beams, each pump beam being of a first diameter and of a power, each pump beam heating a region of said segment of said active medium, forming an array of positive thermal lenses; each lens forming a stable transverse mode resonator between the two reflective surfaces for transverse confinement of a laser beam produced by said pumping, each laser beam being confined within a second diameter, said second diameter being a function of said pump beam; and c) setting each pump beam such that said second diameter is substantially equivalent to said first diameter.