Coherent, Inc.

Briggs Atherton

Luis A Spinelli

Andrea Caprara

Juan L Chilla

Murray Keith Reed

A laser system includes a travelling-wave active laser-resonator arranged for generating laser-radiation having a first wavelength and arranged such that the first-wavelength radiation circulates in only one direction therein. An optically-nonlinear element is positioned in the travelling-wave laser-resonator such that the first-wavelength radiation circulates therethrough. Radiation having a second-wavelength is injected into the optically-nonlinear crystal such that the first-wavelength radiation and second-wavelength radiation mix therein, thereby generating radiation having the sum-frequency of the first and second-wavelength radiations. The sum-frequency radiation from the optically-nonlinear element is delivered from the laser system as output-radiation. In one example, the travelling-wave resonator has a YVO4 gain medium generating radiation having a wavelength of about 1064 nm. The optically-nonlinear crystal is a CLBO crystal. 244 nm radiation from an intracavity frequency doubled argon laser is injected into the optically-nonlinear crystal providing output radiation having a wavelength of about 195 nm.

CW far-UV laser system with two active resonators

A laser for delivering laser radiation at a selected one of a plurality of equally-spaced frequencies extending over a frequency range includes a laser resonator defined by two end mirrors. The resonator includes a surface-emitting semiconductor multilayer gain-structure in optical contact with one of the mirrors. A third mirror located in the laser resonator forms an etalon with that mirror. The third mirror is movable for adjusting a peak transmission frequency of the etalon to align with the selected frequency. The resonator end mirrors are spaced apart by an optical distance selected such that the frequency and frequency-spacing of possible longitudinal lasing modes of the resonator correspond with the plurality of equally-spaced frequencies. When the peak transmission frequency of the etalon is aligned with the selected frequency the laser resonator delivers radiation in a single longitudinal mode at the selected frequency.

Step-tunable external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser

Apparatus for transporting a laser-pulse from a pulsed-laser to a receiver includes a pulse-expander, an optical-fiber, and a pulse-compressor. The pulse-expander is arranged to receive and temporally-expand the laser-pulse from the pulsed laser. The optical-fiber at its proximal end to receive the laser-pulse from the pulse-expander and transport the laser-pulse to the pulse-compressor. The pulse-compressor is arranged to receive the laser-pulse from the optical-fiber, temporally-compress the laser-pulse, and deliver the laser-pulse to the receiver. The pulse-compressor includes a block of optically-dispersive material, the temporal-compression being effected by an optical arrangement that causes the laser-pulse to follow a zigzag path through the block of optically-dispersive material. The pulse-expander may be arranged to provide variable third-order dispersion of a laser-pulse being expanded. The pulse compressor may be included in a handpiece attached to the distal end of the optical-fiber.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Briggs Atherton