Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams
Abstract
A thermal gradient-reduced-zone laser includes a laser medium and an optically transparent plate with an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the laser medium. The pump face of the laser medium is bonded to a surface of the optically transparent member. Pump light is directed through the transparent plate to optically pump the solid state laser medium. Heat conduction is mainly through the surface of the laser medium where the heat is introduced by the pump light. Heat flows in a direction opposite to that of the pump light because the side of the laser medium that is opposite to that of the pump face is not in thermal contact with a conductor and thus there is no heat flux (and hence, no temperature gradient), thus producing a thermal gradient-reduced zone. A laser cavity is formed around the laser medium such that laser light oscillating within the laser cavity reflects by total-internal-reflection from the interface between the pump face and the optically transparent plate and enters and exits through a thermal gradient-reduced zone.
- Inventors:
-
- San Ramon, CA
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 873468
- Patent Number(s):
- 6167069
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01S - DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- thermal; lens; elimination; gradient-reduced; zone; coupling; optical; beams; gradient-reduced-zone; laser; medium; optically; transparent; plate; index; refraction; pump; bonded; surface; light; directed; solid; heat; conduction; mainly; introduced; flows; direction; opposite; contact; conductor; flux; hence; temperature; gradient; producing; cavity; formed; oscillating; reflects; total-internal-reflection; interface; enters; exits; heat conduction; thermal gradient; pump light; heat flow; optically transparent; optical beam; heat flux; laser cavity; temperature gradient; laser light; laser medium; thermal contact; direction opposite; optical beams; heat flows; transparent plate; optically pump; thermal lens; /372/
Citation Formats
Page, Ralph H, and Beach, Raymond J. Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams. United States: N. p., 2000.
Web.
Page, Ralph H, & Beach, Raymond J. Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams. United States.
Page, Ralph H, and Beach, Raymond J. Sat .
"Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873468.
@article{osti_873468,
title = {Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams},
author = {Page, Ralph H and Beach, Raymond J},
abstractNote = {A thermal gradient-reduced-zone laser includes a laser medium and an optically transparent plate with an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the laser medium. The pump face of the laser medium is bonded to a surface of the optically transparent member. Pump light is directed through the transparent plate to optically pump the solid state laser medium. Heat conduction is mainly through the surface of the laser medium where the heat is introduced by the pump light. Heat flows in a direction opposite to that of the pump light because the side of the laser medium that is opposite to that of the pump face is not in thermal contact with a conductor and thus there is no heat flux (and hence, no temperature gradient), thus producing a thermal gradient-reduced zone. A laser cavity is formed around the laser medium such that laser light oscillating within the laser cavity reflects by total-internal-reflection from the interface between the pump face and the optically transparent plate and enters and exits through a thermal gradient-reduced zone.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2000},
month = {1}
}