Room-temperature, laser diode-pumped, Q-switched, 2 micron, thulium-doped, solid state laser

Patent · Fri Mar 30 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6714642

Esterowitz, L; Stoneman, R C

A room-temperature, laser-pumped, Q-switched, thulium-doped, solid state laser for producing pulses of laser emission at substantially 2 microns is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the laser comprises: a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective path elements opposing each other on a common axis to form a reflective path there between; a laser crystal disposed in the laser cavity, the laser crystal having a host material doped with an amount of thulium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2 microns from the 3F4 to 3H6 laser transition in the thulium activator ions when the laser crystal is enabled and is pumped by a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a pump laser for pumping the laser crystal with the CW pump beam at the preselected wavelength; and a Q-switch disposed in the laser cavity between the laser crystal and the second reflective element for periodically enabling the laser crystal to produce a pulsed laser emission at substantially 2 microns when the crystal is also pumped by the CW pump beam.

• Research Organization: Department of the Navy, Washington, DC (USA)
• Assignee: Department of the Navy, Washington, DC
• Patent Number(s): A US 7-501461
• OSTI ID: 6714642
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
CHARGED PARTICLES
CRYSTALS
DESIGN
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
IONS
LASER CAVITIES
LASERS
METALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OPTICAL PUMPING
PATENTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PULSES
PUMPING
Q-SWITCHING
RARE EARTHS
REFLECTION
REFLECTIVITY
SOLID STATE LASERS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
THULIUM