Massachusetts Institute of Technology

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Allied Chemical Corporation

Hans P Jenssen

Arthur Linz

Leon Esterowitz

Robert C Morris

Filbert J Bartoli

Roger E Allen

Melvin R Kruer

Van O Nicolai

Lawrence S Goldberg

Otis G Peterson

John C Walling

Donald E Castleberry

A solid state laser whose medium is a strontium aluminum fluoride crystal doped with chromium. This laser medium has a wavelength tuning range centered around 850 nm and the laser gain is estimated to be a factor of 2-3 times higher than that of emerald and alexandrite lasers at room temperature.

Strontium aluminum fluoride laser

A high power, broadly wavelength-tunable laser is provided which comprises as the laser medium particular single crystals of chromium-doped beryllium aluminate (BeAl.sub.2 O.sub.4 :Cr.sup.3+) having the chrysoberyl structure, means for exciting the laser medium and tuning means. The laser may be operated over a broad temperature range from cryogenic temperatures to elevated temperatures. Elevated temperatures are preferred, however, since they result in higher laser gain. Emission is in a spectral range from red to infrared, and the laser is useful in the fields of defense, communications, isotope separation, photochemistry, etc.

Broadly tunable chromium-doped beryllium aluminate lasers and operation

Improvements in Praseodymium solid state YLF lasers operating in the blueeen spectral region at room temperature and providing short pulses useful for underwater communication and detection systems. A dye laser with a narrow spectral output matched to the absorption spectra of the solid state laser is provided as a laser pump. The Pr doped YLF crystal of the solid state laser is physically oriented so it can be longitudinally pumped by light polarized parallel to the c-axis of the crystal, and the solid state laser is equipped with special spectrally selective mirrors. The foregoing and other modifications of prior Pr solid state laser systems provide increased efficiency and power output.

Praseodymium blue-green laser system

An optically pumped crystalline laser that includes a small single crystal section of a polygonal cylinder; the dimensions of the crystal section and the index of refraction of the crystal and the medium surrounding the crystal are such that there is formed a dielectric resonator that is totally reflective for a small number of modes. The material of which the crystal section is composed is one that is capable of being made optically thick in thin sections. The resonator is optically pumped and the lasing radiation therein is coupled to an optical element that is placed in close proximity thereto by virtue of an evanescent field that arises from the lasing action in the resonator.

Miniature crystalline laser

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, MA, United States of America

Hans P Jenssen