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Regenerative ring resonator

  • US 8,014,432 B2
  • Filed: 03/16/2010
  • Issued: 09/06/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
  • Status: Expired
First Claim
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1. A laser comprising:

  • a regenerative ring resonator comprising;

    a discharge chamber having electrodes and a gain medium between the electrodes;

    an optical coupler that is partially reflective so that at least a portion of a laser beam impinging on the optical coupler from the discharge chamber is reflected back through the discharge chamber and at least a portion of the laser beam impinging on the optical coupler from the discharge chamber is transmitted through the optical coupler; and

    a beam modification optical system in the path of the laser beam;

    wherein the beam modification optical system transversely expands a profile of the laser beam such that the near field laser beam profile uniformly fills each aperture within the laser and such that the regenerative ring resonator remains either conditionally stable or marginally unstable when operating the laser at average output powers that induce thermal lenses in optical elements inside the regenerative ring resonator.

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