Claims
- 1. A laser for emitting at least two wavelengths within a preselected range of wavelengths that reduces the problems associated with gain competition comprising:
- a resonator for said at least two wavelengths within a preselected range of wavelengths defining a laser resonator cavity, said resonator including at least two highly reflective end elements, at least one highly reflective concave fold mirror element and a output coupler reflective element arranged to form a reflective path defining said laser resonator cavity therebetween;
- a dispersing prism disposed in said laser resonator cavity between said concave fold mirror and said at least two highly reflective end elements to spatially disperse said at least two wavelengths, said dispersing prism and said at least two highly reflective end elements being aligned in a manner to define a discrete end portion of a separate one of at least two resonant paths in said laser resonator cavity, each separate one of two resonant paths being for a discrete one of said at least two wavelengths in said preselected range of wavelengths;
- at least two laser gain elements each being disposed in a separate said discrete end portion of a separate one of at least two resonator paths in said laser resonator cavity, and each of said two gain elements being aligned to emit at least a discrete one of said at least two wavelengths; and
- means for optically exciting said laser gain elements in a side pumping mode to emit an optical emission that includes said at least two wavelengths in said preselected range of wavelengths at predetermined relative magnitudes thereof.
- 2. The laser of claim 1 in which said laser gain element is substantially in the form of a cylindrical laser rod having a longitudinal dimension along a cylinder axis and said means for optically exciting is a flash lamp having a long dimension along a first axis which is substantially parallel to said cylinder axis of said cylindrical laser rod for side pumping said cylindrical laser rod along the long dimension of said laser rod.
- 3. The laser of claim 2 further including a means disposed within said laser resonator cavity for producing sum frequency generation.
- 4. A laser for generating a laser beam having a plurality of wavelengths comprising:
- a laser resonator for resonating said laser beam;
- a plurality of gain elements arranged in separate optical paths within said resonator for generating a laser output for each of said plurality of wavelengths;
- a beam splitter/combiner operably coupled to said plurality of gain elements for combining said laser outputs from said plurality of gain elements to form said laser beam; and
- a non-linear gain element arranged within said laser resonator operably coupled to said plurality of gain elements for generating an additional laser beam at a sum frequency from at least two of said laser outputs.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/155,034 filed Nov. 19, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,612.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
155034 |
Nov 1993 |
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