Diode-pumped cavity

Abstract

A side-pumped, diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity includes a conductively cooled housing having an opening O for pump radiation from a diode array in close proximity to a laser rod. The pump light is absorbed by the rod and excites the laser ions. The cavity includes a thin, diffuse reflector encircling the rod, having a shaped opening for the collection and redirection of the pump light into the rod, and a good heat conductor as the heat sink and heat conductor. A split heat sink inhibits the flow of heat from the pump diodes into the laser rod, and pre-formed air spacings are designed to provide uniform temperature distribution around the laser rod.

1 . A side-pumped, diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity comprising
 at least one pump laser diode,   a laser rod,   a conductively cooled housing, having an opening for pump radiation from said pump laser diode, and   a solid-state, diffuse reflector surrounding the laser rod.   
     
     
         2 . A side-pumped diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 1 , where the rod is encircled by a thin, diffuse reflector for redirecting the pump-light that transverses the rod without absorption back into the rod, redirecting the pump light coming out of the pump laser diode at a large angle into the rod, and serving as a good heat conductor to a heat sink. 
     
     
         3 . A side-pumped, diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 1 , including a split heat sink which inhibits the flow of heat from the pump laser diode into the laser rod. 
     
     
         4 . A side-pumped, diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 1 , including a thermo electric cooler element as a conductive heat pump. 
     
     
         5 . A side-pumped, diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 1 , including a pre-formed empty space designed to provide uniform temperature distribution around the laser rod. 
     
     
         6 . A side-pumped, diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 1 , where efficient coupling of light from the pump laser diode into the laser rod is done directly, without using focusing lenses, prisms or windows, using only free space transmission and side, angled, diffuse or specular, redirection of large angle pump beams. 
     
     
         7  A side-pumped diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 1 , where very efficient conductive cooling is carried out through a thin ceramic thermal conductor, into a metallic heat conductor. 
     
     
         8 . A side-pumped, diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 7 , where enhancement of the radially symmetrical heat dissipation from the laser rod is done by adjusting the shape of the thermal conductor and using machined air spacings to control heat conduction. 
     
     
         9 . A side-pumped diode-pumped solid-state laser cavity as in  claim 1 , having optical proximity between pump diodes and laser rod while maintaining thermal isolation. 
     
     
         10 . A method for diode side pumping of solid-state laser rods, comprising side pumping light from at least one pump laser diode into a laser rod, and redirecting pump-light that traverses said rod without absorption back into said rod with a diffuse reflector 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  which includes redirecting the pump light coming out of the pump laser diode at a large angle into the rod. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  which includes inhibiting the flow of heat from the pump laser diode into the laser rod. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  which includes a thermo electric cooler element as a conductive heat pump. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  which includes providing uniform temperature distribution around the laser rod. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein efficient coupling of light from the pump laser diode into the laser rod is done directly, without using focusing lenses, prisms or windows, using only free space transmission and side, angled, diffuse or specular, redirection of large angle pump beams. 
     
     
         16  The method of  claim 10  which includes conductive cooling carried out through a thin ceramic thermal conductor, into a metallic heat conductor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  which includes adjusting the shape of the thermal conductor to enhance the radially symmetrical heat dissipation from the laser rod. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  which includes having optical proximity between pump diodes and laser rod while maintaining thermal isolation.