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:
Jul. 05, 1994
Filed:
Sep. 14, 1992
J Michael Yarborough, Tucson, AZ (US);
Gerald M Mitchell, Tucson, AZ (US);
Kenneth J Bossie, Tucson, AZ (US);
Coherent, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An optically-pumped solid state laser system having separate subsystems for cooling its gain medium and optical pumping assembly. The invention permits the operating temperatures of the gain medium and optical pumping assembly to be independently controlled, and permits a substantial increase in cooling efficiency as a result of independent control of coolant flow rates in the two cooling subsystems. In a class of preferred embodiments, the gain medium cooling subsystem includes a first channel through which coolant flows with relatively high flow rate and relatively low temperature (to maintain the gain medium at a desired low operating temperature), and the other cooling subsystem includes a second channel through which coolant flows with a relatively low flow rate and relatively high temperature. In one embodiment, the gain medium is a Holmium:YAG rod, and a Cerium doped glass tube surrounds the rod. Three to four gallons per minute of coolant flows through the tube to maintain the rod at an operating temperature in the range from about + 10 to - 15 degrees Celsius. The optical pumping assembly includes a set of flash lamps, and a Cerium doped glass tube surrounds each lamp. A total of no more than two gallons per minute of coolant flows through the tubes around the lamps, to maintain the lamps at a relatively high (but controlled) temperature.