US5638388A
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US
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Diode pumped, multi axial mode intracavity doubled laser
Assignee: Newport Corp USA
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Filing: 1995-05-19
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Granted: 1997-06-10
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Expires: 2015-05-19
Abstract
Abstract A diode pumped, multiaxial mode, intracavity frequency doubled laser resonator has high amplitude stability, meaning that the percent root mean square noise (%RMS) of the doubled output beam power is low. A diode pump source supplies a pump beam to a laser crystal positioned in a resonator cavity and produces a multiaxial mode infrared beam that is incident on a doubling crystal, also positioned in the resonator. A frequency doubled output beam is produced that has an RMS of less than 3%, and in some cases less than 0.2%. The laser is highly efficient, provides high output power, and its output beam is of high spatial quality.
Inventors
- 👤 William L. Nighan, Jr.
- 👤 John Cole
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:51
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/106; H01S3/108; H01S3/109; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/081; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094049; H01S3/094053; H01S3/0941; H01S3/09415; H01S3/13; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1611; H01S3/163; H01S3/164; H01S3/1643; H01S3/1645; H01S3/1653; H01S3/1671; H01S3/1673
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; a laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the resonator cavity providing 10 or more axial modes to oscillate and the frequency doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 1%; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; a laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the resonator cavity providing 10 or more axial modes to oscillate and the frequency doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 1%; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 0.5%.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 0.2%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 0.1%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the diode pump source is a diode bar or a plurality of diode bars.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the diode pump source is fiber-coupled.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the laser crystal is longitudinally pumped.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the laser crystal has strong thermal focussing properties.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the laser crystal is Nd:YVO 4 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 1, wherein the laser crystal is Nd:YAG or Nd:YLF.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 9 or 10, wherein the doubling crystal is LBO.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 9 or 10, wherein the doubling crystal is KTP.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The intracavity doubled laser at claims 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, or 10, further including an intracavity aperture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, or 10, wherein the doubled output beam is nearly diffraction limited.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
95 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; an Nd:YVO 4 laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam with an output power of greater than 1 watt; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
95 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; an Nd:YVO 4 laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam with an output power of greater than 1 watt; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the output power is greater than 2 W.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the output power is greater than 3 W.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the output power is greater than 4 W.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the output power is greater than 5 W.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the output power is greater than 6 W.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 15,16,17,18,19 or 20 wherein the doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 0.5%.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 15,16,17,18,19 or 20 wherein the doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 0.3%.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 15,16,17,18,19 or 20 wherein the doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 0.2%.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 15,16,17,18,19 or 20 wherein the doubled output beam has a % RMS noise of less than 0.1%.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15,16,17,18,19 or 20, wherein a TEM 00 mode size in the laser crystal is smaller than a pump beam diameter in the laser crystal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the doubling crystal is LBO.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the doubling crystal is KTP.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the diode pump source is a diode bar or a plurality of diode bars.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the diode pump source is fiber-coupled.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 15, wherein the laser crystal has strong thermal focussing properties.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 15,16,17,18,19,20,26,27,28,29, or 30, further including an intracavity aperture.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 15,16,17,18,19,20,26,27,28,29, or 30, wherein the doubled output beam is nearly diffraction limited.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
111 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; an Nd:YVO 4 laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the resonator cavity providing ten or more axial modes to oscillate and the frequency doubled output beam has a %RMS noise of less than 3%; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
111 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; an Nd:YVO 4 laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the resonator cavity providing ten or more axial modes to oscillate and the frequency doubled output beam has a %RMS noise of less than 3%; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
13 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 33, wherein the doubling crystal is LBO.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 33, wherein the doubling crystal is KTP.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 34 or 35, further including an intracavity aperture.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claims 34 or 35, wherein the doubled output beam is nearly diffraction-limited.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
93 words
A diode-pumped, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; an Nd:YVO 4 laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes incident upon the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the doubled output beam having an output power of greater than 1 watt; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
93 words
A diode-pumped, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; an Nd:YVO 4 laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes incident upon the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the doubled output beam having an output power of greater than 1 watt; and a power supply supplying power to the diode pump source.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
21 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 38, wherein the doubled output beam has an output powers of greater than 1.5 watts.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 38, wherein the double output beam has an output power of greater than 2 watts.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
17 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 38,39, or 40, wherein the doubled output beam is nearly diffraction-limited.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
116 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; a laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; and a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the resonator cavity providing ten or more axial modes to oscillate and the frequency doubled output has a %RMS noise of less than 3%, wherein the doubling crystal is configured to prevent undesired resonance of any beams reflected from surfaces of said doubling crystal.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
116 words
A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser, comprising: at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity; a laser crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; a doubling crystal positioned in the resonator cavity; and a diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and producing a laser crystal beam with ten or more axial modes incident on the doubling crystal to produce a frequency doubled output beam, the resonator cavity providing ten or more axial modes to oscillate and the frequency doubled output has a %RMS noise of less than 3%, wherein the doubling crystal is configured to prevent undesired resonance of any beams reflected from surfaces of said doubling crystal.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
15 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 42, wherein the %RMS noise is less than 1%.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
24 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 42 or 43, were the optical surfaces of said doubling crystal are wedged with respect to one another.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
14 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 42, or 43, further including an intracavity aperture.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
20 words
The intracavity doubled laser of claim 42 or 43, further including an intracavity aperture to ensure substantially TEM 00 operation.
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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) | 2000-06-09 | 2000-12-09 | 2001-06-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-09 | 2004-12-09 | 2005-06-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-09 | 2008-12-09 | 2009-06-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |