Spectra-physics Gmbh

Spectra Physics Lasers, Inc.

Alan B Petersen

David L Wright

Lee R Carlson

Shinan-Chur S Sheng

Marc K Von Gunten

Gary W DeBell

Kenneth A Ruddock

David F Head

William L Nighan, Jr

Jan-Willem J Pieterse

John L Cole

Emily Cheng

Jeffrey L Kaiser

Ralph R Jacobs

Robert C Rempel

Joseph B Lastovka

Troy M Artusy

Chris Pohalski

Randall Lane

A laser or laser amplifier apparatus has a diode pump source producing a polarized pump beam. A laser head includes a gain medium that produces an output beam. One or more optical fibers are coupled to the diode pump source and deliver the pump beam to the laser head. A depolarization device is coupled to the diode pump source, laser head or optical fiber and produces an depolarized pump beam. By depolarizing the output beam, movement, including rotation, of the pump source does not comprise the output beam produced from the laser head.

Diode pumped, fiber coupled laser with depolarized pump beam

A diode pumped laser includes a high reflector and an output coupler defining a resonator. The resonator includes a gain medium and a Q-switch and produces a fundamental beam. A first non-linear crystal is positioned extra-cavity of the resonator along a path of the fundamental beam. The first non-linear crystal generates a second harmonic beam from the fundamental beam. The first non-linear crystal is critically phased matched. A second non-linear crystal is portioned extra-cavity of the resonator along a path of the fundamental beam and the path of the second harmonic beam. The second non-linear crystal produces a third harmonic beam. The second non-linear crystal is critically phased matched.

Q-switched laser system providing UV light

An ion laser is constructed with means for generating a magnetic confinement field operating in the cathode transition region of the laser. The magnetic confinement field is preferably generated by first and second magnetic windings, each axially aligned with the laser volume, but disposed so as to generate first and second magnetic fields which are of opposite polarity. The first and second magnetic fields of opposite polarity combine to create a region of zero axial magnetic field, which in a preferred embodiment is located substantially within the cathode transition region of the laser. In an alternate embodiment, the first and second magnetic fields are of the same polarity, and therefore generate a region of minimized axial magnetic field, preferably located substantially within the cathode transition region of the laser.

Magnetic field profile for improved ion laser performance

A laser comprising a first mirror having a shape. The shape is generally spherical for typical lasers with the shape of the mirror being defined by the radius of curvature of a reflective surface on the mirror. A second mirror is provided mounted with the first to define a laser cavity. The cross-sectional sizes of the modes of oscillation within the laser cavity are defined by the shape of the first mirror. An aperture at a given location having a fixed cross-sectional size is mounted with the laser cavity. Alternatively, a laser bore which forms an effective aperture at a given location is used. A means is mounted with the first mirror for adjusting the shape of the first mirror so that the cross-sectional size of a selected mode at the given location matches the cross-sectional size of the aperture.

Laser with adjustable mirror for mode control

An optical component of a laser, of the type including a hot gas plasma region, a cold gas region, and producing large photon fluxes, includes an optical element and a coating means on a surface of the optical element exposed to the photon fluxes. The coating means is comprised of a material adapted to minimize photoreduction of the optical element induced by exposure to the photon fluxes. Optical elements of the present invention include windows, birefringent plates, intracavity lenses, polarizers and mirrors. The coating means includes a material selected from the group comprising Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, BeO, Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, MgO, B.sub.2 O.sub.3, Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3, LiF, NdF.sub.3, ThF.sub.4, Na.sub.3 AlF.sub.6, and mixtures thereof.

Optical component of a laser

An endbell assembly operatively associated with a laser body includes a metal endbell component sealed to a crystalline endbell component which terminates with a crystalline optical component. The crystalline endbell and crystalline optical component are hermetically sealed without using a frit. This is achieved by polishing and a modified optical contacting technique whereby the optical component and crystalline endbell component are polished to a flatness of about 1/2 wavelength of light, placed in a contacting position and then thermally cycled at a temperature of about 400.degree.-500.degree. C. for about 1 to 10 hours, forming a substantially uniform unitary body. This seal is mechanically strong and minimizes the introduction of contaminants into the endbell assembly. In one embodiment, the crystalline endbell component is metallized and braze-sealed to the metal endbell component. In another embodiment, the two endbell components are hermetically sealed by modified optical contact and thermal cycling.

Fritless endbell assembly

An optical component of a laser of the type including a hot gas plasma region, a cold gas region and producing large photon fluxed includes an optical element and a coating means on a surface of the optical element exposed to the photon fluxes. The coating means is comprised of a material adapted to minimize photoreduction of the optical element induced by exposure to the photon fluxes. Optical elements of the present invention include windows, birefringent plates, intra-cavity lenses, polarizers and mirrors.

A window assembly for a laser uses a uniaxial crystalline material such as quartz for the window, secured directly in a hard seal to a metal tubular end component. In order to avoid significant differential thermal expansion between the quartz window and the end component, the quartz crystal is cut in a Z-normal configuration, whereby the thermal expansion and other physical properties of the window are isotropic in the plane of the window. The ability to make a reliable direct seal to a metal component offsets any disadvantages of the Z-normal configuration thought to be controlling in the prior art. Through the disclosed method for assembling and mounting the window, reflection loses are reduced to a practical minimum comparable to that of any preferred conventional window orientation.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Alan B Petersen