Monolithic, side-pumped, passively Q-switched solid-state laser

Abstract

A monolithic, side pumped, passively Q-switched, solid-state laser ( 10 ) includes a laser resonator structure ( 16 ) that includes a laser gain medium ( 12 ) having an output face bonded to a passive Q-switch ( 14 ). The gain medium ( 12 ) has a side face ( 12 A) for receiving pump light. The pump light is preferably generated by a laser diode array ( 20 ). In a further embodiment, a non-linear optical material ( 22 ), such as frequency doubling KTP, is optically coupled to an output face of the Q-switch for providing output wavelength conversion. A method is also disclosed for fabricating the monolithic, side pumped, passively Q-switched, solid-state laser. Techniques are included for providing compensation from thermal aberrations during operation of the laser.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A method for fabricating a monolithic, side pumped, passively Q-switched, solid-state laser, comprising: 
 placing a saturable absorber material in optical contact with a face of an optical gain material to form a composite structure;    cutting the composite structure into a plurality of sub-structures each comprising a length of the optical gain material that is to function as a laser gain medium and that is optically contacting a length of the saturable absorber material that is to function as a passive Q-switch; and    blocking up a plurality of the sub-structures and polishing a side surface of each of the sub-structures that is to function as a pump radiation receiving surface.    
   
   
       15 . The method as in  claim 14 , further comprising optically coupling the pump radiation receiving surface of a sub-structure to a source of pump radiation.  
   
   
       16 . The method as in  claim 14 , where the step of placing further comprises polishing and coating end faces of the composite structure such that the end face located in the optical gain material is made a high reflector at a wavelength of interest, and such that the end face located in the saturable absorber material is made a partial reflector at the wavelength of interest.  
   
   
       17 . The method as in  claim 14 , further comprising depositing an anti-reflective coating on the polished side surface.  
   
   
       18 . The method as in  claim 17 , where depositing comprises one of e-beam depositing and sputtering.  
   
   
       19 . The method as in  claim 17 , wherein the anti-reflective coating comprises a multi-layered interference stack-type coating.  
   
   
       20 . The method as in  claim 14 , where placing comprises a diffusion bonding process.  
   
   
       21 . The method as in  claim 14 , where placing comprises applying an adhesive.  
   
   
       22 . The method as in  claim 14 , where placing comprises depositing the saturable absorber material using liquid phase epitaxy.  
   
   
       23 . The method as in  claim 14 , where placing comprises providing a structure co-doped with an optical gain material and a saturable absorber as the composite structure.  
   
   
       24 . The method as in  claim 14 , further comprising incorporating at least one thermal aberration compensation feature in the composite structure.  
   
   
       25 - 33 . (canceled)