Temperature control of a solid state face pumped laser slab by an active siderail
First Claim
1. A method of reducing distortion in a solid state laser of the type which comprises a slab of lasing material having a pair of major optical faces disposed parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the slab, at least one face having electromagnetic energy impinging thereon to excite atoms in the lasing material to an elevated energy state, and first and second lateral surfaces disposed perpendicularly to the faces at the sides thereof, each lateral surface having a siderail thereon, the method comprising controlling the temperature of each siderail in order to control a flux of thermal energy across each of the lateral surfaces and a slab temperature proximate each lateral surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Optical and thermal distortion in a solid state slab geometry laser are controlled by active siderails disposed at the lateral surfaces of the slab. Each siderail may have a fluid passage therethrough and be connected in a separate fluid circuit which enables the volumetric flow rate and temperature of the fluid through the passageway to be controlled in order to control the temperature of the siderail and, accordingly, the temperature of the slab in regions proximate to the siderail. The invention enables compensation of asymmetric transverse gradients to afford a uniform transverse temperature distribution.
63 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A method of reducing distortion in a solid state laser of the type which comprises a slab of lasing material having a pair of major optical faces disposed parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the slab, at least one face having electromagnetic energy impinging thereon to excite atoms in the lasing material to an elevated energy state, and first and second lateral surfaces disposed perpendicularly to the faces at the sides thereof, each lateral surface having a siderail thereon, the method comprising controlling the temperature of each siderail in order to control a flux of thermal energy across each of the lateral surfaces and a slab temperature proximate each lateral surface.
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6. A laser device comprising a slab of lasing material having a pair of opposed major optical faces disposed parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the slab, and having first and second opposed lateral surfaces disposed perpendicular to the faces at the sides thereof;
- means for impinging electromagnetic energy onto at least one of the faces to excite atoms in the slab to an elevated energy state;
first and second heat transferring means disposed at the first and second lateral surfaces, respectively, for independently controlling the temperature at each lateral surface to provide a uniform temperature distribution across the slab in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
- means for impinging electromagnetic energy onto at least one of the faces to excite atoms in the slab to an elevated energy state;
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11. A laser device comprising a slab of lasing material having a pair of opposed major optical faces disposed parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the slab, and having first and second opposed lateral surfaces disposed perpendicularly to the faces at the sides thereof;
- a siderail disposed on each lateral surface;
means for impinging electromagnetic radiation onto at least one of the faces of the slab to excite atoms in the slab to an elevated energy state; and
means for controlling the temperature of each siderail in order to control the flux of thermal energy across a corresponding lateral surface upon which the siderail is disposed and the slab temperature proximate such lateral surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- a siderail disposed on each lateral surface;
Specification