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:
Sep. 14, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 03, 1998
Phillip Randall Staver, Hagaman, NY (US);
William Taylor Lotshaw, Niskayuna, NY (US);
General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A laser resonator includes a laser medium having opposite end faces inclined at Brewster's angle and disposed in optical alignment between spaced-apart and tilted first and second optical elements. A method for adjusting the optical alignment includes pumping the laser medium to produce a laser beam, and adjusting separation spacing between the two optical elements. Tilt of at least one of the optical elements is adjusted in response to any observed change in beam cross-sectional size. In an additional embodiment, the laser medium is initially positioned at about equal spacings between the first and second elements. Position of the laser medium is then adjusted, at a constant value of the separation spacing, to within a position range selected for a specific value of a ratio of intracavity peak power of circulation of the laser beam and a critical power for self-focusing to effect discrimination of mode-locked operation over continuous wave operation.