Mode locked solid-state laser pumped by a non-diffraction-limited pumping source and method for generating pulsed laser radiation by pumping with a non-diffraction-limited pumping beam
First Claim
1. A laser for emitting pulsed electromagnetic radiation, said laser comprising:
- an optical resonator;
a solid-state laser gain medium placed inside said optical resonator, said laser gain medium having a defined stimulated emission cross section and a defined spontaneous fluorescence lifetime for a given optical wavelength;
means for passive mode locking placed inside said optical resonator; and
means for exciting said laser gain medium to emit electromagnetic radiation, said exciting means comprising a pumping source for emitting pumping radiation which impinges on said laser gain medium in the form of at least one non-diffraction-limited focused pumping beam with essentially one pumping wavelength;
the product of said cross-section and said fluorescence lifetime being equal to or smaller than 0.15·
10-23 cm2 s.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pulsed solid-state laser comprises an optical resonator and a solid-state laser medium placed inside the optical resonator. A saturable absorber, such as a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror device for passive mode locking is placed inside the optical resonator, and a pumping source is provided for exciting the laser gain medium to emit electromagnetic radiation. The pumping source emits pump radiation which impinges on the laser gain medium in the form of a non-diffraction-limited focused pumping beam. The product of the stimulated emission cross section times the spontaneous fluorescence lifetime is low for the laser medium, e.g., 0.1·10-23 cm2 s for Ti:sapphire; nevertheless, the laser yields a high output power of a few Watt even if pumped with a non-diffraction-limited pumping beam. Pumping with a non-diffraction-limited pumping beam makes feasible solid-state lasers with remarkably smaller sizes and lower costs, but with the same performance as known lasers.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A laser for emitting pulsed electromagnetic radiation, said laser comprising:
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an optical resonator; a solid-state laser gain medium placed inside said optical resonator, said laser gain medium having a defined stimulated emission cross section and a defined spontaneous fluorescence lifetime for a given optical wavelength; means for passive mode locking placed inside said optical resonator; and means for exciting said laser gain medium to emit electromagnetic radiation, said exciting means comprising a pumping source for emitting pumping radiation which impinges on said laser gain medium in the form of at least one non-diffraction-limited focused pumping beam with essentially one pumping wavelength; the product of said cross-section and said fluorescence lifetime being equal to or smaller than 0.15·
10-23 cm2 s. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for generating pulsed laser radiation, comprising the steps of:
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generating at least one non-diffraction-limited focused pumping beam with essentially one pumping wavelength; exciting a solid-state laser gain medium to emit electromagnetic radiation, by impinging said at least one pumping beam on said laser gain medium, said laser gain medium having a defined stimulated emission cross section and a defined spontaneous fluorescence lifetime for a given optical wavelength and the product of said cross-section and said fluorescence lifetime being equal to or smaller than 0.15·
10-23 cm2 s;recirculating said electromagnetic radiation in an optical resonator; and passively mode locking said electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification