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:
Jun. 08, 2010
Filed:
Jan. 29, 2004
Leonard A. Pomeranz, Hollis, NH (US);
Leonard A. Pomeranz, Hollis, NH (US);
BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Nashua, NH (US);
Abstract
A Thulium laser () is used to directly drive a ZnGePoptical parametric oscillator () with a nominal 2 μm output to generate the 3-5 micron wavelengths. In one embodiment, the ZGP OPO is configured as a linear resonator and in another embodiment the ZGP OPO is configured as a ring resonator. The ring resonator prevents optical feedback to the Thulium laser () and eliminates the need for an optical isolator (). Moreover, the Thulium laser pump () is implemented as a Tm:YAlOlaser in which YAlO is the host for the Thulium YAlO is particularly beneficial as it is a mechanically hard optical material allowing high thermal loading without fracture as well as natural birefringence that can minimize thermal birefringence losses. A longer wavelength transition at 1.99 microns is selected to minimize nonlinear crystal loss. More particularly, a high power, high efficiency Tm:YAlOlaser repetitively Q-switched at 10 kHz is used to drive a ZnGePOPO. The system is run with room temperature components and achieves over 3 W at 3-5 microns with an efficiency of 5% starting from the pump diode. A two crystal resonator () design allows tuning over multiple spectral peaks or alternately as an ultra broad spectral source.