Repetitively Q-switched laser pumped by laer diodes and Q-switched with an intracavity variable speed moving aperture
First Claim
1. A laser for providing Q-switched emission comprising:
- a laser resonator having a laser resonator cavity, said laser resonator including a highly reflective end element, a laser gain element, and an output coupler reflective element arranged to produce a nearly hemispherical laser resonator mode of energy having a laser resonator mode waist;
a laser diode producing optical emission for optically exciting said laser gain element to emit laser emission, said optical emission being focused to produce a pump mode waist that occupies a common region with said laser resonator mode waist; and
an aperture apparatus having an aperture blade disposed in said laser resonator cavity near said laser resonator mode waist for interrupting laser resonator oscillation, said aperture blade having a transmissive portion and a portion opaque for said laser emission and being positioned for producing Q-switched emission.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser is end pumped by laser diodes and is repetitively Q-switched using an intracavity variable speed moving aperture. The aperture apparatus includes a precision motor which drives a pair of matched aperture blades and produces efficient Q-switched operation over a wide range of output powers and repetition rates. Each aperture blade may contain an identical number of transmissive and opaque regions, and two aperture blades may be mounted onto the motor in a manner that allows continuous adjustment of the aperture width. In a preferred embodiment the aperture blades are shaped as circular discs. The laser resonator mode is nearly hemispherical, and the aperture blade is located at or near the laser resonator mode waist. When pumped with the optimum pump flux, efficient repetitively Q-switched operation is obtained as long as the Q-switch opening time is shorter than the pulse build-up time. The pulse build-up time can be calculated, and the Q-switch opening time is defined in accordance with this inventive concept. The Q-switch opening time is a function of the laser resonator mode diameter at the location of the aperture blade and the velocity of the aperture blade as it moves through the resonator mode. The Q-switch opening time is a fraction of the time required for the edge of the aperture blade to traverse the entire resonator mode diameter.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A laser for providing Q-switched emission comprising:
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a laser resonator having a laser resonator cavity, said laser resonator including a highly reflective end element, a laser gain element, and an output coupler reflective element arranged to produce a nearly hemispherical laser resonator mode of energy having a laser resonator mode waist; a laser diode producing optical emission for optically exciting said laser gain element to emit laser emission, said optical emission being focused to produce a pump mode waist that occupies a common region with said laser resonator mode waist; and an aperture apparatus having an aperture blade disposed in said laser resonator cavity near said laser resonator mode waist for interrupting laser resonator oscillation, said aperture blade having a transmissive portion and a portion opaque for said laser emission and being positioned for producing Q-switched emission. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for Q-switching a laser comprising the steps of:
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providing a laser resonator including an output coupler reflective element, a highly reflective end element, and a laser gain element, disposed to produce a laser resonator mode of energy having a laser resonator mode waist; pumping said laser gain element with optical emission from a laser diode focused to a pump mode waist that occupies a common region with said laser resonator mode waist to produce laser emission from said laser gain element; and placing an aperture apparatus having an aperture blade near said laser resonator mode waist, said aperture blade being positioned to interrupt laser resonator oscillation for producing Q-switched emission. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A laser for providing Q-switched emission comprising:
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a laser resonator having a laser resonator cavity including a laser gain element producing a laser resonator mode of energy having a laser resonator mode waist; a source of light exciting said laser gain element in an end pumping mode to emit laser emission, said light being focused to produce a pump mode waist that occupies a common region with said laser resonator mode waist; and an aperture apparatus having an aperture blade disposed in said laser resonator cavity for interrupting laser resonator oscillation, said aperture blade having a portion transmissive and a portion opaque for said laser emission.
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31. A laser for providing Q-switched emission comprising:
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a laser resonator having a laser resonator cavity including a laser gain element, said laser resonator producing a laser resonator mode of energy having a laser resonator mode waist; a source of light exciting said laser gain element to emit laser emission; and an aperture apparatus having an aperture blade disposed in said laser resonator cavity near said laser resonator mode waist for interrupting laser resonator oscillation, said aperture blade having a portion transmissive and a portion opaque for said laser emission. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification