Jds Uniphase Corporation

Nanolase S.a.

Pierre Jean Devilder

Patrick Georges

Francois Daniel Balembois

Frederic Druon

Alain Brun

Laurent Lefort

Sebastien Forget

The present invention relates to a multi-pass three-dimensional amplifier structure in which a beam of light traverses an amplifier medium multiple times via distinct multiple paths. The distribution of the multiple paths being such that the volume occupied by the multiple paths inside the amplifier medium substantially overlaps with the volume of the amplifier medium being optically pumped by an optical pump beam. The distribution of the optical paths is such that no more than two of the multiple paths lie in a same plane. The astigmatism induced by anisotropic amplifying crystals is self-compensated by aligning the crystallographic axes of the amplifying crystal at a 45&#xb0; angle to the longitudinal axis of the redirecting means.

Three-dimensional optical amplifier structure

A sub-nanosecond passively Q-switched microchip laser is disclosed. It combines an optically pumped, passively Q-switched, high-frequency, microchip laser producing short pulses with an optically end-pumped amplifier producing high small-signal gain while pumped at low power. The microchip laser for emitting pulsed laser radiation is a monolithic body comprising two reflective elements defining an optical resonator for laser radiation, a laser gain medium, e.g., Nd:YAG, and a saturable absorber medium, e.g., Cr :YAG placed inside said resonator. The optical amplifier stage for amplifying the laser radiation comprises an amplifying medium, e.g., Nd:YVO . The microchip laser and the amplifier are optically end-pumped, preferably by high-brightness diodes. This entirely passive laser system directly produces &mgr;J pulses at repetition rates of about 45 kHz.

Sub-nanosecond passively q-switched microchip laser system

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Sainte Marie Du Mont, France

Pierre Jean Devilder