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Active energy control for diode pumped laser systems using pulsewidth modulation

  • US 5,291,505 A
  • Filed: 01/21/1993
  • Issued: 03/01/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An active energy control circuit for use with a diode pumped laser system comprising a laser cavity, a laser rod, a Q-switch, a Q-switch firing pulse circuit, and a current controlled pulse drive circuit coupled to a plurality of pump diodes, and wherein the Q-switch generates an output energy pulse in response to a firing signal provided by the Q-switch firing pulse circuit, said control circuit comprising:

  • optical to electrical sampling means for sampling the output energy of the diode pumped laser system and for converting the sampled output energy into a digitized energy signal;

    a controller comprising;

    pulse duration logic for setting a desired initial pulse duration of the output energy pulse of the diode pumped laser system;

    threshold logic coupled to the optical to electrical sampling means for comparing the digitized energy signal comprising the sampled output energy of the laser system to a predetermined energy threshold, and for providing output signals that are adapted to increase or decrease the pulse duration of the pulse provided by the current controlled pulse drive circuit depending upon whether the sampled output energy is below or above the predetermined energy threshold, respectively;

    pulse duration output logic coupled to the current controlled pulse drive circuit for providing an output signal that is adapted to set the pulse duration of the output energy pulse in the pulse drive circuit;

    laser firing logic coupled to the pulse duration output logic and to the Q-switch firing pulse circuit for causing the firing pulse circuit to generate the firing signal that is adapted to switch the Q-switch and generate the output energy pulse from the laser system; and

    whereby the controller is adapted to maintain the output energy of the diode pumped laser system at a desired level.

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