Laser amplifier and method

Backus, S; Kapteyn, H C; Murnane, M M

Title: Laser amplifier and method

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

Laser amplifiers and methods for amplifying a laser beam are disclosed. A representative embodiment of the amplifier comprises first and second curved mirrors, a gain medium, a third mirror, and a mask. The gain medium is situated between the first and second curved mirrors at the focal point of each curved mirror. The first curved mirror directs and focuses a laser beam to pass through the gain medium to the second curved mirror which reflects and recollimates the laser beam. The gain medium amplifies and shapes the laser beam as the laser beam passes therethrough. The third mirror reflects the laser beam, reflected from the second curved mirror, so that the laser beam bypasses the gain medium and return to the first curved mirror, thereby completing a cycle of a ring traversed by the laser beam. The mask defines at least one beam-clipping aperture through which the laser beam passes during a cycle. The gain medium is pumped, preferably using a suitable pumping laser. The laser amplifier can be used to increase the energy of continuous-wave or, especially, pulsed laser beams including pulses of femtosecond duration and relatively high pulse rate. 7 figs.

Inventors:: Backus, S; Kapteyn, H C; Murnane, M M

Issue Date:: 1997-07-01

Research Org.:: Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 512431

Patent Number(s):: 5644424

Application Number:: PAN: 8-619,275

Assignee:: Washington State Univ. Research Foundation, Pullman, WA (United States)

DOE Contract Number:: FG06-93ER12135

Resource Type:: Patent

Resource Relation:: Other Information: PBD: 1 Jul 1997

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES; LASERS; LASER RADIATION; LASER MIRRORS; AMPLIFICATION; LASER MATERIALS; DESIGN

Citation Formats


                    Backus, S, Kapteyn, H C, and Murnane, M M. Laser amplifier and method.  United States: N. p., 1997. 
        Web.

Copy to clipboard


                    Backus, S, Kapteyn, H C, & Murnane, M M. Laser amplifier and method.  United States.

Copy to clipboard


                    Backus, S, Kapteyn, H C, and Murnane, M M. Tue .  
        "Laser amplifier and method".  United States.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_512431,

  title        = {Laser amplifier and method},

  author       = {Backus, S and Kapteyn, H C and Murnane, M M},

  abstractNote = {Laser amplifiers and methods for amplifying a laser beam are disclosed. A representative embodiment of the amplifier comprises first and second curved mirrors, a gain medium, a third mirror, and a mask. The gain medium is situated between the first and second curved mirrors at the focal point of each curved mirror. The first curved mirror directs and focuses a laser beam to pass through the gain medium to the second curved mirror which reflects and recollimates the laser beam. The gain medium amplifies and shapes the laser beam as the laser beam passes therethrough. The third mirror reflects the laser beam, reflected from the second curved mirror, so that the laser beam bypasses the gain medium and return to the first curved mirror, thereby completing a cycle of a ring traversed by the laser beam. The mask defines at least one beam-clipping aperture through which the laser beam passes during a cycle. The gain medium is pumped, preferably using a suitable pumping laser. The laser amplifier can be used to increase the energy of continuous-wave or, especially, pulsed laser beams including pulses of femtosecond duration and relatively high pulse rate. 7 figs.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1997},

  month        = {7}

}

Copy to clipboard

Patent:

Search for the full text at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar Records in DOE Patents and OSTI.GOV collections:

Method and system for compact, multi-pass pulsed laser amplifier

Patent Erlandson, Alvin Charles

A laser amplifier includes an input aperture operable to receive laser radiation having a first polarization, an output aperture coupled to the input aperture by an optical path, and a polarizer disposed along an optical path. A transmission axis of the polarizer is aligned with the first polarization. The laser amplifier also includes n optical switch disposed along the optical path. The optical switch is operable to pass the laser radiation when operated in a first state and to reflect the laser radiation when operated in a second state. The laser amplifier further includes an optical gain element disposed alongmore » « less
Full Text Available
Method and system for compact and efficient high energy pulsed laser amplifier

Patent Erlandson, Alvin Charles

An optical amplifier system includes an input aperture operable to receive light propagating along an optical path in a first direction and a first polarizer disposed along the optical path. The first polarizer is operable to pass light having a polarization state aligned with a first polarization axis. The system also includes a first Pockels cell operable to receive light passing through the first polarizer, an optical gain element disposed along the optical path, a second Pockels cell disposed along the optical path, and a second polarizer disposed along the optical path. The second polarizer is operable to pass lightmore » « less
Full Text Available
Diode-laser-pump module with integrated signal ports for pumping amplifying fibers and method

Patent Savage-Leuchs, Matthias P. [Woodinville, WA]

Apparatus and method for collimating pump light of a first wavelength from laser diode(s) into a collimated beam within an enclosure having first and second optical ports, directing pump light from the collimated beam to the first port; and directing signal light inside the enclosure between the first and second port. The signal and pump wavelengths are different. The enclosure provides a pump block having a first port that emits pump light to a gain fiber outside the enclosure and that also passes signal light either into or out of the enclosure, and another port that passes signal light eithermore » « less
Full Text Available
Laser amplifier and method

Patent Backus, Sterling [Ann Arbor, MI]; Kapteyn, Henry C [Ann Arbor, MI]; Murnane, Margaret M [Ann Arbor, MI]

Laser amplifiers and methods for amplifying a laser beam are disclosed. A representative embodiment of the amplifier comprises first and second curved mirrors, a gain medium, a third mirror, and a mask. The gain medium is situated between the first and second curved mirrors at the focal point of each curved mirror. The first curved mirror directs and focuses a laser beam to pass through the gain medium to the second curved mirror which reflects and recollimates the laser beam. The gain medium amplifies and shapes the laser beam as the laser beam passes therethough. The third mirror reflects themore » « less
Full Text Available
Method for optimizing output in ultrashort-pulse multipass laser amplifiers with selective use of a spectral filter

Patent Backus, Sterling J [Erie, CO]; Kapteyn, Henry C [Boulder, CO]

A method for optimizing multipass laser amplifier output utilizes a spectral filter in early passes but not in later passes. The pulses shift position slightly for each pass through the amplifier, and the filter is placed such that early passes intersect the filter while later passes bypass it. The filter position may be adjust offline in order to adjust the number of passes in each category. The filter may be optimized for use in a cryogenic amplifier.
Full Text Available

Similar Records