Raytheon Company

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Joseph M Fukumoto

Hiroshi Komine

William H Long

Chun-Ching Shih

Cheng-Chih Tsai

A laser frequency converter includes a first substrate material forming a first planar surface that includes a first nonlinear material situated along a portion of the first planar surface of the first substrate material to perform a frequency conversion of a laser signal. The frequency converter includes a second substrate material forming a second planar surface and separated by a distance from the first planar surface of the first substrate material. The second substrate material includes a second nonlinear material situated along a portion of the second planar surface of the second substrate material to perform the frequency conversion of the laser signal in conjunction with the first non-linear material. The second nonlinear material is offset from the first nonlinear material along an axis of propagation for the laser signal.

Distributed thermal system for nonlinear optical frequency conversion

An arrangement ( ) for efficiently shifting energy received at a first wavelength and outputting the shifted energy at a second wavelength. The arrangement ( ) includes a laser ( ) and an optical parametric oscillator ( ) of unique design. The oscillator ( ) is constructed with an energy shifting crystal ( ) and first and second reflective elements ( ) and ( ) disposed on either side thereof. Light from the laser ( ) at a fundamental frequency is shifted by the crystal and output at a second wavelength. The second wavelength is a secondary emission of energy induced by a primary emission generated by the first wavelength in the crystal. A novel feature of the invention is a coating applied on the reflective elements ( and/or ) for containing the primary emission and enhancing the secondary emission. This constrains the energy to be output by the arrangement ( ) at the wavelength of the desired secondary emission.

Efficient angle tunable output from a monolithic serial KTA optical parametric oscillator

An arrangement ( ) for efficiently generating tunable pulsed laser output at 8-12 microns. The arrangement ( ) includes a laser ( ), a first optical parametric oscillator ( ) of unique design, and a second optical parametric oscillator ( ). The first oscillator ( ) is constructed with an energy shifting crystal ( ) and first and second reflective elements ( ) and ( ) disposed on either side thereof. Energy from the laser ( ) at a first wavelength is shifted by the crystal and output at a second wavelength. The second wavelength results from a secondary process induced by a primary emission of energy at a third wavelength, the third wavelength resulting from a primary process generated from the first wavelength in the crystal. Mirror coatings are applied on the reflective elements ( and/or ) for containing the primary emission and enhancing the secondary process. The second optical parametric oscillator ( ) then shifts the energy output by the first OPO ( ) at the second wavelength to the desired fourth wavelength.

Rubidium titanyl arsenate-silver gallium selenide tandem optical parametric oscillator

A chemical sensing system and method. The system (10) includes a transmitter having a laser for providing a collimated beam of electromagnetic energy at a first frequency and a Q switch in optical alignment with the beam. The system further includes a crystal for shifting the frequency of the beam from the first frequency to a second frequency. A mechanism is included for shifting the beam from the second frequency to a third frequency in the range of 8-12 microns. The system includes a mechanism for switching the polarization state of the second beam and providing third and fourth beams therefrom. The third beam has a first polarization and the fourth beam has a second polarization. The second polarization is orthogonal relative to the first polarization. The frequency shifted third and fourth beams are combined to provide an output beam in the range of 8-12 microns. The output beam is transmitted and a return signal is detected by a receiver in the illustrative chemical sensing application.

System and method for sensing atmospheric contaminants using transmitter with dual optical parametric oscillators and receiver for the same

A novel and efficient system and method for providing an output beam of collimated energy in the 8-12 micron range. The solid state system includes a pump laser ( ) for providing an input beam and an OPO ( ) using an x-cut potassium titanyl arsenate crystal for shifting the input beam from the first wavelength to a second wavelength. A second optical parametric oscillator ( ) is included for shifting the beam from a second wavelength to a third wavelength. The second optical parametric oscillator ( ) uses a cadmium selenide crystal. A tuning mechanism with an associated controller is provided to tune the oscillator as needed for a particular application.

System and method for providing collimated electromagnetic energy in the 8&mdash;12 micron range

A passive Q switch. The inventive Q switch includes a first wedge of material adapted to absorb electromagnetic energy. The first wedge has a first thickness on a first end thereof and a second thickness on a second end thereof diametrically opposite the first end. The first wedge has a first surface connecting the first and second ends and a second surface connected the first and second ends. The second surface is slanted relative to the first surface. A second wedge of material is included in the inventive passive Q switch. As per the first wedge, the second wedge has a first thickness on a first end thereof and a second thickness on a second end thereof diametrically opposite the first end. The second wedge has a first surface connecting the first and second ends and a second surface connecting the first and second ends. The second surface is slanted relative to the first surface. The second surface of the first wedge is mounted in optical alignment with the second surface of the second wedge and in a plane parallel thereto. In the illustrative embodiment, the wedges are made of chromium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Cr :YAG) and mounted to allow the first and second wedges to translate relative to each other while maintaining a constant distant 'd' between the second surfaces thereof. The inventive Q-switch allows for a variable thickness and lasing hold off in a passive arrangement.

Variable path length passive Q switch

A shaping optic for diode light sheets. The Fresnel cylinder lens has a plurality of facets that channel multiple light sheet output from a diode stack having arbitrary pitch and diode bar number into a gaussian pump light deposition profile within a laser gain medium. In a specific embodiment, the lens is formed of fused silica or BK7 glass covered with broad angle anti-reflection coating, and the vertical extent of the facets is matched to the pitch spacing of the diode.

Shaping optic for diode light sheets

A dual cavity multifunction laser comprising a diode-pumped, contact cooled, slab laser head that supports two different length unstable resonators. The laser produces short (<8 ns), low energy 1 &mgr;m pulses or long (>15 ns), higher energy 1 &mgr;m pulses from the same laser system at different repetition rates, if desired. The output from each resonator can be separately optimized for different operating modes such as target designation and target profiling. The unstable resonators use independently optimized super Gaussian output couplers to generate high quality beams for each of the high and low pulse energy modes. The resonators also share a common bounce path to minimize intracavity losses and thermally induced birefringence for both resonators.

Dual cavity multifunction laser system

An arrangement ( ) for efficiently shifting energy received at a first wavelength and outputting the shifted energy at a second wavelength. The arrangement ( ) includes a laser ( ) and an optical parametric oscillator ( ) of unique design. The oscillator ( ) is constructed with a energy shifting crystal ( ) and first and second reflective elements ( ) and ( ) disposed on either side thereof. Light from the laser ( ) at a fundament frequency is shifted by the crystal and output at a second wavelength. The second wavelength is a primary emission and induces a secondary emission of energy in the crystal. A novel feature of the invention is a coating applied on the reflective elements ( and/or ) for minimizing the secondary emission. This constrains the energy to be output by the arrangement ( ) at the wavelength of the desired primary emission. In the alternative, the arrangement ( ) may be optimized to output one or more of the secondary emissions.

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Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, United States of America

Joseph M Fukumoto