The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Sep. 10, 1991

Filed:

Dec. 11, 1989
Applicant:
Inventor:

Clive L Ireland, Warwickshire, GB;

Assignee:

Lumonics, Ltd., Rugby, GB;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01S / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
372 66 ; 372 70 ; 372 75 ;
Abstract

Various examples of an optically pumped laser are described. In each example, a laser member formed from active laser material is located in an optical cavity and a source of pumping light is arranged so that pumping light passes into the laser member through a side surface. A deflecting means is provided which ensures that the pumping light makes an initial pass followed by at least one, and preferably at least two, further passes across the laser member. In the further passes, the pumping light has a substantial component long the optical axis. Consequently, a relatively long absorption path for the pumping light is achieved. In one example, the laser member is an Nd:YAG bar (20), the pumping light source is an array (23) of laser diodes, and the deflecting means takes the form of a series of facets (27) formed along a side of the bar (20). In another example, the deflecting means is a diffraction grating.


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