Compact and highly efficient laser pump cavity

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872637

Chang, Jim J ^[1]; Bass, Isaac L ^[2]; Zapata, Luis E ^[3]

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1. Dublin, CA
2. Castro Valley, CA
3. Livermore, CA

A new, compact, side-pumped laser pump cavity design which uses non-conventional optics for injection of laser-diode light into a laser pump chamber includes a plurality of elongated light concentration channels. In one embodiment, the light concentration channels are compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) which have very small exit apertures so that light will not escape from the pumping chamber and will be multiply reflected through the laser rod. This new design effectively traps the pump radiation inside the pump chamber that encloses the laser rod. It enables more uniform laser pumping and highly effective recycle of pump radiation, leading to significantly improved laser performance. This new design also effectively widens the acceptable radiation wavelength of the diodes, resulting in a more reliable laser performance with lower cost.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States Enrichment Corporation (Bethesda, MD)
• Patent Number(s): US 5978407
• OSTI ID: 872637
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

compact
highly
efficient
laser
pump
cavity
side-pumped
design
non-conventional
optics
injection
laser-diode
light
chamber
plurality
elongated
concentration
channels
embodiment
compound
parabolic
concentrators
cpc
exit
apertures
escape
pumping
multiply
reflected
rod
effectively
traps
radiation
inside
encloses
enables
uniform
effective
recycle
leading
significantly
improved
performance
widens
acceptable
wavelength
diodes
resulting
reliable
cost
significantly improved
laser rod
laser pumping
highly efficient
highly effective
pumped laser
exit aperture
laser pump
uniform laser
laser performance
pump radiation
pumping chamber
improved laser
radiation wavelength
pump cavity
pump chamber
cavity design
compound parabolic
parabolic concentrator
effectively traps
efficient laser
significantly improve
conventional optics
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