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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1993
Filed:
May. 14, 1992
Leon Esterowitz, Springfield, VA (US);
Robert C Stoneman, Alexandria, VA (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A laser system and method for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns and having a quantum efficiency of at least unity and a slope efficiency of about 36%. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the laser system comprises a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements with one of the reflective elements operating as an output coupler; a crystal disposed in the laser cavity and having a GSGG host material doped with a preselected percent concentration of erbium, the GSGG host material and preselected percent concentration of erbium being selected so as to provide a quantum efficiency of at least unity by the .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 +.sup.4 I.sub.13/2 .fwdarw..sup.4 I.sub.9/2 +.sup.4 I.sub.15/2 upconversion process and a slope efficiency of about 36% when the crystal is resonantly pumped; and a resonant pump laser for directly pumping the .sup.4 I.sub.11/2 upper laser state of the erbium with a pump beam to cause the crystal to produce a laser emission corresponding to the .sup.4 I.sub.11/2 .fwdarw..sup.4 I.sub.13/2 laser transition having a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns.