Laser pump cavity
First Claim
1. A laser pump including a pump housing defining a pump cavity, a pump light source positioned with respect to said housing to emits a pump light into said cavity, a laser element mounted within the pump cavity and a reflective surface in said pump cavity;
- said reflective surface including at least a first section having a longitudinal axis and a second section having a longitudinal axis;
said first section longitudinal axis being parallel to and off-set from said second section longitudinal axis;
the pump light source directing the pump light towards one or both of said reflective surface and said laser element, the reflective surface reflecting the pump light through the laser element to create a symmetric deposition of pump light in the laser element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser pump includes a pump housing defining a pump cavity. The pump cavity includes reflecting walls having two or more sections, which in combination, encircle the laser element of the laser. The two or more sections have centers which are off-set from each other and which may be of different radii or height. The longitudinal axes of the segments are parallel to the center of the laser element, and the center of one of the segments may be coaxial with the axis of the laser element. Pump light enters the pump cavity through one or more openings in the housing into the cavity and is reflected many times by the reflecting surfaces of the cavity, passing many times in various directions through various parts of the laser element, resulting in efficient and uniform pumping of the laser element.
53 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A laser pump including a pump housing defining a pump cavity, a pump light source positioned with respect to said housing to emits a pump light into said cavity, a laser element mounted within the pump cavity and a reflective surface in said pump cavity;
- said reflective surface including at least a first section having a longitudinal axis and a second section having a longitudinal axis;
said first section longitudinal axis being parallel to and off-set from said second section longitudinal axis;
the pump light source directing the pump light towards one or both of said reflective surface and said laser element, the reflective surface reflecting the pump light through the laser element to create a symmetric deposition of pump light in the laser element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- said reflective surface including at least a first section having a longitudinal axis and a second section having a longitudinal axis;
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24. A laser including a laser pump, the laser pump having a pump housing, the pump housing comprising an inner surface defining a laser pump cavity, and a reflective surface and a laser element contained within the cavity;
- the reflective surface being generally parallel to the laser element;
the reflective surface including at least a first section and a second section;
said first section defining an arc of a cylinder having a longitudinal axis and a radius;
said second section defining an arc of a cylinder having a longitudinal axis and a radius;
said first section longitudinal axis being parallel to and off-set from said second section longitudinal axis, the reflective surface reflecting the pump light through the laser element to create a symmetric deposition of pump light in the laser element. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
- the reflective surface being generally parallel to the laser element;
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28. A laser pump including a pump light source and a pump housing, the pump housing having an inner surface defining a laser pump cavity, and a reflective surface and a laser element contained within the cavity;
- the reflective surface being generally parallel to the laser element, the reflective surface being generally arcuate and defining at least a first radius and a second radius, said first radius being smaller than said second radius, said first radius having a first origin and said second radius having a second origin, said first and second origins being off-set from each other, the reflective surface reflecting the pump light through the laser element to create a symmetric deposition of pump light in the laser element.
- View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A modular laser pump including:
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a housing defining a cavity and having an inner surface; an inner sleeve received in the housing cavity, the inner sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an elongate opening; a laser element received in the elongate opening of the inner sleeve to be supported in the pump cavity; a pump light which introduces light into the pump cavity to pump the laser element; a reflective surface, the reflective surface comprising one of the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the inner sleeve, said reflective surface including at least a first section having a longitudinal axis and a second section having a longitudinal axis;
said first section longitudinal axis being parallel to and off-set from said second section longitudinal axis;
the reflective surface reflecting the pump light through the laser element to create a symmetric deposition of pump light in the laser element; anda settable material which is generally transparent to the pump light and which is positioned between an outer surface of said laser element and the inner surface of the inner sleeve to secure the laser element in position in the inner sleeve, the settable material being softenable to allow for the laser element to be removed from the pump cavity. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of removing and replacing a laser element of a modular laser pump, the laser pump including a housing defining a cavity and having an inner surface;
- a pump light which introduces light into the pump cavity;
an inner sleeve received in the housing cavity, the inner sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an elongate opening;
the laser element being received in the elongate opening of the inner sleeve to be supported in the pump cavity;
a coating which fills any space between the laser element and the inner sleeve, the coating being generally transparent to the pump light and softenable upon the application of heat or a solvent;
a reflective surface about the laser element including at least a first section having a longitudinal axis and a second section having a longitudinal axis, said first section longitudinal axis being parallel to and off-set from said second section longitudinal axis;
the reflective surface reflecting the pump light through the laser element to create a symmetric deposition of pump light in the laser element;said method including applying heat or a solvent to said coating to melt said coating, sliding the laser element from the inner sleeve, and inserting a second laser element into the sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
- a pump light which introduces light into the pump cavity;
Specification