Spectra-physics Laserplane, Inc.

Jamie N Lussier

Mark D Sobottke

Daniel R Klemer

Pliny S Hawthorn

A solid-state laser for generating harmonic laser light substantially at a desired wavelength has a pump diode body made of a first material, which is preferably aluminum, having a first coefficient of expansion and a laser diode mounted in the pump diode body for generating pump energy. A laser body assembly, which is positioned on the pump diode body, is made of a second material, which is preferably steel, having a second coefficient of expansion. The first and second coefficients of expansion of the respective pump diode body and the laser body assembly have a known relationship such that the laser cavity expands and contracts at a particular rate as the temperature of the laser increases and decreases to provide a substantially constant generation of the harmonic laser light. A laser gain chip mounted on an entrance mirror, which forms the back end of a laser cavity, generates fundamental laser light in response to pump energy from the laser diode. The fundamental laser light passes through an active etalon output mirror into a frequency doubler chip which doubles the frequency thereof to produce harmonic laser light. A mirrored surface, which forms a front end of the laser cavity, permits a portion of the harmonic laser light to be emitted from the laser and reflects the remaining portion of the harmonic laser light back to the active etalon output mirror. A control etalon may be provided to suppress undesired light wavelengths in the laser cavity.

Solid-state laser

An intracavity frequency-doubled solid-state laser uses a Nd:GdVO.sub.4 laser gain chip to generate a beam of visible laser light which may have wavelengths substantially in the green portion of the optical spectrum. A back end of the laser cavity is defined by an entrance mirror while a front end of the laser cavity is defined by a mirrored surface. A laser diode generates pump light which is transmitted through the entrance mirror into the laser gain chip. The laser gain chip, which may be immediately adjacent the entrance mirror, emits fundamental laser light having a wavelength of approximately 1063 nm in response to the pump light. A frequency doubler chip positioned immediately adjacent the laser gain chip doubles the frequency of the fundamental laser light to produce harmonic laser light having a wavelength of substantially 532 nm. In a second embodiment, the frequency doubler chip is immediately adjacent to the entrance mirror and the laser gain chip is immediately adjacent to the frequency doubler chip. The mirrored surface reflects a portion of the harmonic laser light back into the laser cavity and transmits a portion of the harmonic laser light from the laser.

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Huber Heights, OH, United States of America

Jamie N Lussier