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Title:
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LASER SYSTEM HAVING NON-PLANAR THIN DISC GAIN MEDIA
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2018/140638
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a laser system. The laser system may have at least non-flat gain media disc. At least one pump source may be configured to generate a beam that pumps the non-flat gain media disc. A laser cavity may be formed by the pump source and the non-flat gain media disc. An output coupler may be included for receiving and directing the output beam toward an external component.

Inventors:
DAWSON JAY (US)
LACOMB RONALD (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2018/015306
Publication Date:
August 30, 2018
Filing Date:
January 25, 2018
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
L LIVERMORE NAT SECURITY LLC (US)
International Classes:
H01S3/06; H01S3/04; H01S3/08
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
ELCHUK, Mark, D. et al. (US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
WO 2018/140638 AMENDED CLAIMS PCT/US2018/015306 received by the International Bureau on 20 July 2018 (20.07.2018)

What is claimed is: 1 . A laser system comprising:

a non-flat gain media disc;

at least one pump source configured to generate a beam that pumps a convex surface of the non-flat gain media disc;

a laser cavity formed by at least one optical component and the non-flat gain media disc; and

an output coupler enabling the laser beam to exit the laser cavity.

2. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising a mirror for receiving and reflecting the beam from the pump source back to the at least one optical component. .

3. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the non-flat gain media disc comprises a hemispherical shaped gain media disc.

4. The laser system of claim 3, wherein the at least one optical component includes a substrate secured to one surface of the hemispherical shaped gain media disc.

5. The laser system of claim 4, wherein the at least one optical component further includes a highly reflective coating on a surface of the substrate opposite to that of which the hemispherical shaped gain media disc is secured.

6. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an additional pump source for generating an additional beam; and

a mirror for reflecting additional beam toward the at least one optical component.

7. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the non-flat gain media disc comprises a solid state matrix material.

8. The laser system of claim 7, wherein the solid state matrix material includes at least one type of Rare-Earth dopant, or at least one type of transition metal, or a combination of at least one type of Rare-Earth dopant and at least one type of transition metal, from the following: Erbium (Er), Ytterbium (Yb), Neodymium (Nd), Thulium (Tm);Praseodymium (Pr);Cerium (Ce);Holmium (Ho);Yttrium (Y); Samarium (Sm); Europium (Eu);Gadolinium (Gd);Terbium (Tb); Dysprosium (Dy); Lutetium (Lu); Chromium (Cr) and Titanium (Ti).

9. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the non-flat gain media disc comprises a hemispherical shaped gain media disc having a plurality of layers of gain loaded matrix material sandwiched together.

10. The laser system of claim 9, further comprising a first highly reflective coating applied to a first outer surface of the hemispherical shaped gain media disc.

1 1 . The laser system of claim 10, further comprising a second highly reflective coating applied to a second outer surface of the hemispherical shaped gain media disc.

12. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical component forms an active mirror.

13. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink coupled to the at least one optical component. 14. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising a coolant supplied to the at least one optical component for cooling the at least one optical component.

15. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising an output coupler in communication with the at least one optical component for receiving an output beam from the at least one optical component and coupling the output beam to an external component.

16. A laser system comprising:

a first pump source configured to generate a first beam;

a second pump source configured to generate a second beam;

a first mirror for receiving the first beam;

a second mirror for receiving the second beam;

a non-flat, thin disc gain media optical component for receiving the first and second beams on a convex surface thereof, reflected from the first and second mirrors, thus exciting the non-flat, thin disc gain media , and

an output coupler for forming a resonant laser cavity.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second mirrors comprises an active mirror having a hemispherical shaped, thin disc gain media.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein both of first and second comprise active mirrors each having a hemispherical shaped, thin disc gain media.

19. An optical component for use in forming a laser cavity of a laser system, the optical component comprising:

a thin disc gain media having at least one surface with a hemispherical shape; and

a highly reflective coating applied to a surface of the hemispherical shaped thin disc gain media.

20. The optical component of claim 19, further comprising a substrate secured to one surface of the thin disc gain media.

21 . A method for forming a laser oscillator system comprising:

using at least one pump source configured to generate a pump beam;

using a laser cavity formed by at least one additional optical component forming a resonant cavity between the additional optical component and a pumped, convex region of the non-flat gain media disc; and

using an output coupler to receive and direct the output beam toward an external component.

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22. A method of forming a laser amplifier system, comprising:

using at least one pump source configured to generate a beam incident on a non-flat gain media disc; and

using at least one of an extraction beam or signal beam interacting with the non-flat gain media disc by bouncing off said non-flat gain media disc one or more times, thus gaining energy with each said pass.

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