Spectra Physics Lasers, Inc.

Spectra-physics Gmbh

Other

William L Nighan, Jr

Mark S Keirstead

John L Cole

Emily Cheng

James D Kafka

Thomas Michael Baer

Jan-Willem J Pieterse

David E Spence

David S Bell

David R Dudley

Jason D Henrie

Dave R Dudley

Alan B Petersen

Shinan S Sheng

Chris Pohalski

Randall Lane

Tracy W Vatter

Steven Arkley

An optically pumped laser has a gain medium positioned inside of an optical resonator cavity and disposed about a resonator optical axis. An optical pumping source is positioned outside of the optical resonator cavity. A reflective coupler with a coupler body, and an interior volume passing therethrough is positioned proximal to the optical pumping source. Light from the pumping source passes into an entrance aperture of the reflective coupler to an exit aperture of the reflective coupler positioned distal to the optical pumping source. The interior volume of the reflective coupler is bounded by a reflective surface, an entrance aperture and the exit aperture, and is substantially transparent to radiation from the optical pumping source. The reflective surface has a high reflectivity matched to radiation from the optical pumping source. The reflective coupler directs radiation from the optical pumping source into the optical resonator cavity and gain medium, conditioning the numerical aperture and spatial intensity distribution across the exit aperture.

Diode-pumped laser with funnel-coupled pump source

A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled, intracavity tripled laser, includes at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity. A laser crystal and a doubling crystal are positioned in the resonator cavity. A tripling crystal is also positioned in the resonator cavity. A diode pump source supplies a pump beam to the laser crystal and produces a laser crystal beam with a plurality of axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal. This produces a frequency doubled output beam. Further, a diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity nonlinearly-converted laser is provided and includes at least two resonator mirrors defining a resonator cavity, a laser crystal and a nonlinear conversion apparatus positioned in the resonator cavity. A nonlinear conversion apparatus is also positioned in the resonator cavity. A diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal and produces a laser crystal beam with a plurality of axial modes that are incident on the nonlinear conversion apparatus. The result is a nonlinearly converted output beam that has a % RMS noise of less than 3%.

Diode pumped, multi axial mode intracavity doubled laser

A diode-pumped solid-state laser has been invented that provides long Q-switched pulses at high repetition rate with high stability. The laser incorporates Nd:YVOas the gain medium.

Long pulse vanadate laser

A high power, diode pumped laser has a Nd:YVO gain media. Scaling to higher powers is achieved with the use of a low doped gain media, increasing the length of the gain media as well as increasing the pump volume. Passive cooling is extended to output powers of 10 W or greater.

Lasers with low doped gain medium

A diode pumped, multi axial mode, intracavity doubled laser has at least two resonator mirrors that define a resonator cavity. A Nd:YVO,laser crystal and a LBO doubling crystal are positioned in the resonator cavity. A diode pump source supplies a pump beam to the laser crystal and produces a laser crystal beam with at least three axial modes that are incident on the doubling crystal. A frequency doubled output beam is generated with an output power of at least 1 watt.

A high power, diode pumped laser has a Nd:YVO,gain media. Scaling to higher powers is achieved with the use of a low doped gain media, increasing the length of the gain media as well as increasing the pump volume. Passive cooling is extended to output powers of 10 W or greater .

Retinal photocoagulator including diode pumped, multi-axial mode

A diode pumped laser includes a resonator mirror and an output coupler, defining a laser resonator with a resonator optical axis. A strong thermal lens gain medium with a TEM.sub.00 mode diameter is mounted in the resonator along the resonator optical axis. The dopant level of the gain medium is in the range of 0.01 to less than 0.5 percent. A diode pump source supplies a pump beam to the gain medium in the laser resonator, and produces an output beam with a diameter larger than the TEM.sub.00 mode diameter to reduce thermal birefringence. A power source supplies power to the diode pump source. A polarizing element can be positioned in the resonator, along with a aperture stop The laser operates well over a large range of pump powers. Its slope efficiency in the TEM.sub.00 mode is greater than 40%, with an overall efficiency greater than 25%. One of the gain mediums used is Nd:YVO.sub.4. This material exhibits high gain and a short upper state lifetime. These properties make it attractive in designing a Q-switched laser, or one that is insensitive to optical feedback. Another material is Nd:YAG. The technique of optimizing the pump beam spot size is found to minimize loss due to thermal birefringence.

Diode pumped laser using gain mediums with strong thermal focussing

A diode pumped laser includes a high reflector and an output coupler defining a resonator. The resonator includes a gain medium and a Q-switch and produces a fundamental beam. A first non-linear crystal is positioned extra-cavity of the resonator along a path of the fundamental beam. The first non-linear crystal generates a second harmonic beam from the fundamental beam. The first non-linear crystal is critically phased matched. A second non-linear crystal is portioned extra-cavity of the resonator along a path of the fundamental beam and the path of the second harmonic beam. The second non-linear crystal produces a third harmonic beam. The second non-linear crystal is critically phased matched.

Q-switched laser system providing UV light

A multi-axial mode frequency conversion system includes two resonators. At least two resonator mirrors define a first resonator cavity. A gain medium is positioned in the first resonator cavity. A pump source supplies energy to the gain medium. The first resonator cavity produces a first beam with a plurality of axial modes that are incident on a doubling crystal in the first resonator and produce a frequency doubled output beam. The first resonator cavity provides a sufficient number of axial modes to oscillate so that the doubled output beam has a noise of less than 3% RMS. At least two resonator mirrors define a second resonator cavity coupled to the output beam from the first resonator cavity. The second resonator is configured to provide resonant enhancement of at least a portion of the plurality of axial modes. A non-linear optical material is positioned in the second resonator and configured to produce a harmonic output beam.

Frequency conversion system

A golf swing training device includes a golf club including a head coupled to a shaft. At least one laser device detachably coupled to the shaft of the golf club and produces at least one laser beam. A power source is coupled to the laser device. An attachment mechanism detachably secures the laser device to the golf club shaft in a manner such that the laser beam provides a feedback signal to the golfer that is indicative of a position and a motion of the head during the top of a backswing of the golf club by the golfer.

Golf swing training device with laser

A high power diode pumped laser is disclosed which has at least one resonator mirror and an output coupler. At least one laser crystal with strong thermal focussing properties is included. The laser includes at least one diode pump source supplying a pump beam to the laser crystal, producing a thermal lens in the laser crystal. The combination of the laser crystal, thermal lens, resonator mirrors and output coupler create a confocal-to-concentric resonator. An output beam is generated, which may be polarized. Further, a Q-switch may be included in the resonator, particularly when the laser crystal is Nd:YAG.

Confocal-to-concentric diode pumped laser

A high power diode pumped, acousto-optically Q-switched Nd:YVO.sub.4 laser includes at least one resonator mirror and an output coupler defining a resonator cavity. At least one acousto-optic Q-switch device and at least one laser crystal, with strong thermal focussing properties, are positioned in the resonator. One or more diode pump sources supply a pump beam to the laser crystal or crystals to generate an output beam. A power source supplies power to the diode pump source.

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

William L Nighan, Jr