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. 02, 2003
Filed:
May. 05, 2000
Jason W. Bethel, Seattle, WA (US);
Eugene F. Yelden, Mill Creek, WA (US);
Jeffery A. Broderick, Seattle, WA (US);
Synrad, Inc., Mukilteo, WA (US);
Abstract
A laser system and method having an output laser beam uses an gain medium with one or more output beam transverse profile tailoring (OBTPT) longitudinal strips to tailor the transverse profile of the output laser beam to a desirable shape such as having a symmetrical profile transverse to the direction of propagation of the output laser beam. The laser system has two reflector systems on opposite ends in the long z-axis dimension of the gain medium to form a resonator that outputs the output laser beam following the same long z-axis dimension. In some embodiments the gain medium has a narrow y-axis dimension and a wide x-axis dimension. In these embodiments the OBTPT longitudinal strips have lengths running the long z-axis dimension, widths running the wide x-axis dimension and thicknesses running the narrow y-axis dimension of the gain medium. The widths of the OBTPT longitudinal strips are generally chosen with respect to coupling width of the output laser beam. The OBTPT longitudinal strips are contoured to change their y-axis thicknesses with respect to position along the z-axis so that the output laser beam is formed with a desired transverse profile upon exiting the laser system. Location, number, contouring, and other aspects of the OBTPT longitudinal strips can be varied depending upon the particular output beam tailoring that is desired.