Continuously tunable solid state ultraviolet coherent light source

• US 5,363,388 A
• Filed: 10/18/1991
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Cedars Sinai Health System)
• Original Assignee: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Cedars Sinai Health System)
• Inventors: Grundfest, Warren S., Shi, Weiqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wise, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US07/781,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 372/5, 372/20, 372/21, 372/22, 359/328, 359/329, 359/330
• US Class Current: 372/20
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3534 Three-wave interaction, e.g. sum-difference frequency generation G02F1/3532 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3542 Multipass arrangements, i.e. arrangements to make light pass multiple times through the same element, e.g. using an enhancement cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/108 using non-linear optical devices, e.g. exhibiting Brillouin or Raman scattering mode locking using a non-linear element H01S3/1112
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1625 titanium

Abstract

A compact solid state source of coherent laser light in the range of about 298 nm through about 355 nm utilizes a Nd:YAG or Nd:YLF laser to pump a tunable Ti:Al₂ O₃ laser. The beam from the Nd:YAG/Nd:YLF laser is then combined in a nonlinear optical crystal with the tunable beam from the Ti:Al₂ O₃ laser to provide a continuously tunable laser beam in the range of about 298 nm through about 355 nm.

Claims

1. An ultraviolet light source comprising:

a first pump light source comprising a laser,

a tunable laser driven by said first pump light source to provide a second light source,

a non-linear optical frequency mixing element optically coupled to said first pump light source and said second light source wherein said nonlinear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of BBO.

2. An ultraviolet light source comprising:

a first pump light source comprising a laser,

a tunable laser driven by said first pump source to provide a second light source,

a non-linear optical frequency mixing element optically coupled to said first pump light source and said second light source wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of LBO.

3. An ultraviolet light source comprising:

a first pump light source comprising a laser,

a tunable laser driven by said first pump source to provide a second light source,

a non-linear optical frequency mixing element optically coupled to said first pump light source and said second light source, and means for directing light from said first pump light source and light from said second light source along a common path.

4. The ultraviolet light source of claim 3 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is located along said common path.

5. The ultraviolet light source of claim 4 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of BBO.

6. The ultraviolet light source of claim 5 wherein the optical axis of said BBO is oriented at an internal angle φ

of from about 31.35°

to about 40.39°

with respect to said common path.

7. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 6 oriented in an internal cavity mixing scheme.

8. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 6 oriented in an external cavity mixing scheme.

9. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 8 additionally comprising an output cavity resonator.

10. The ultraviolet light source of claims 4 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of LBO.

11. The ultraviolet light source of claim 10 wherein said LBO is oriented at internal angles of Θ

=90° and

φ

between about 38.56° and

about 62.50°

with respect to said common path.

12. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 11 oriented in an internal cavity mixing scheme.

13. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 11 oriented in an external cavity mixing scheme.

14. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 13 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is located within a UV resonator.

15. The ultraviolet light source of claim 3 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element includes a center, said common path includes a beam waist, and said center is arranged so that said beam waist is located at said front surface.

16. An ultraviolet light source, continuously tunable over a range of about 298 nm to about 355 nm comprising:

a first pump light source,

a tunable laser driven by said first pump light source to provide a second light source,

a non-linear optical frequency mixing element optically coupled to said first pump light source and said second light source.

17. The ultraviolet light source of claim 16 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of BBO.

18. The ultraviolet light source of claim 16 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of LBO.

19. The ultraviolet light source of claim 16 including means for directing light from said first pump light source and light from said second light source along a common path.

20. The ultraviolet light source of claim 19 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is located along said common path.

21. The ultraviolet light source of claim 20 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of BBO.

22. The ultraviolet light source of claim 21 wherein the optical axis of said BBO is oriented at an angle φ

of from about 31.35°

to about 40.39°

with respect to said common path.

23. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 22 oriented in an internal cavity mixing scheme.

24. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 22 oriented in an external cavity mixing scheme.

25. An ultraviolet light source according to claim 24 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is located within a UV resonator.

26. The ultraviolet light source of claims 20 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of LBO.

27. The ultraviolet light source of claim 26 wherein the z principal optical axis of said LBO is oriented at an angle Θ

of 90°

with respect to said common path.

28. The ultraviolet light source of claim 27 wherein the x principal optical axis of said LBO is oriented at an angle φ

in the x-y principal plane of from about 38.56°

to about 62.50°

with respect to said common path.

29. An ultraviolet light source comprising:

a first pump light source,

a tunable laser driven by said first pump light source to provide a second light source,

a non-linear optical frequency mixing element optically coupled to said first pump light source and said second light source,

means for directing light from said first pump light source and light from said second light source along a common path,

said non-linear optical frequency mixing element located along said common path,

said non-linear optical frequency mixing element mounted on a rotary stage,

wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of BBO.

30. The ultraviolet light source of claim 29 wherein the optical axis of said BBO is oriented at an angle φ

of from about 31.35°

to about 40.39°

with respect to said common path.

31. The ultraviolet light source of claim 30 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is located within a UV resonator.

32. An ultraviolet light source comprising:

a first pump light source,

a tunable laser driven by said first pump light source to provide a second light source,

a non-linear optical frequency mixing element optically coupled to said first pump light source and said second light source,

means for directing light from said first pump light source and light from said second light source along a common path,

said non-linear optical frequency mixing element located along said common path,

means for controlling the temperature of said non-linear optical frequency mixing element to provide phase matching of said light from said first pump light source and said light from said second light source within said non-linear optical frequency mixing element.

33. The ultraviolet light source of claim 32 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of BBO.

34. The ultraviolet light source of claim 32 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element is fabricated of LBO.

35. The ultraviolet light source of claim 32 wherein said non-linear optical frequency mixing element includes a center arranged so that light along said common path impinges said center at a beam waist of said light along said common path.