Apparatus and method for longitudinal diode bar pumping of solid state lasers
Patent 5139609 Issued on August 18, 1992. Estimated Expiration Date: 
February 11, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
February 11, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesMulti-beam optical system using lens array Method forming surface emitting diode laser Fabrication of integral lenses on LED devices Flowing gas seal enclosure for processing workpiece surface with controlled gas environment and intense laser irradiation Patent #: 4801352 InventorsApplicationNo. 654430 filed on 02/11/1991US Classes:372/50.23, Having lens216/2, ETCHING OF SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL TO PRODUCE AN ARTICLE HAVING A NONELECTRICAL FUNCTION219/121.6, Using laser359/619, By surface composed of lenticular elements359/641, COLLIMATING OF LIGHT BEAM372/101, Lens or lens system430/321, Optical device438/27, Having additional optical element (e.g., optical fiber, etc.)438/29Including integrally formed optical element (e.g., reflective layer, luminescent material, contoured surface, etc.)ExaminersPrimary: Powell, William A.Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesH01L 021/306B44C 001/22 H01S 003/19 AbstractThe invention is a solid state laser resonator or amplifier which employs a longitudinal pumping scheme that provides efficient coupling of greater than 90 percent from the output of one or more high power diode bar arrays. The pumping scheme involves the use of monolithic microlens arrays that match the geometry of the laser diode bar arrays in a one to one manner. The output of each element in the diode bar is collimated by a single microlens in the array. The resultant array of collimated light beams is then configured to overlap by a second macroscopic lens, resulting in a single uniform spot within the laser gain medium. The resultant spot is also configured to overlap with the TEM00 mode of the laser resonator so that efficient lasing action may occur. Overlapping the pump spot and the laser mode may be interpreted as having the pump spot size be less than or equal to the laser mode size so that all the pump light is absorbed within the mode of the laser. |
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