Face-pumped laser device with laterally positioned pumping means

Claim 2

A laser device comprising pumping means for emitting radiation of pumping wavelengths; a planar laser element comprising an active laser medium and having major surfaces with transverse dimensions larger than the distance between said major surfaces; refracting prisms having surfaces positioned contiguous to and forming interfaces with said major surfaces, said refracting prisms each having at least one second surface positioned adjacent said pumping means to thereby be substantially uniformly illuminated by the radiation of pumping wavelengths and refracting said radiation of pumping wavelengths substantially uniformly over said major surfaces; said active laser medium emitting coherent radiation in response to radiation of pumping wavelengths, said coherent radiation radiating along an axis which extends through said interfaces but not through said second surfaces.

Claim 3

The laser device of claim 1 wherein the active laser medium has an index of refraction approximately the same as that of said refracting prisms to thereby form optically contacting surfaces between the refracting prisms and the major surfaces of said laser element whereby the coherent radiation is emitted without significant reflection or refraction.

Claim 4

The laser device of claim 1 wherein the active laser medium has an index of refraction significantly different from that of said refracting prisms.

Claim 5

The laser device of claim 1 including reflecting means substantially totally reflecting to radiation of pumping wavelengths and positioned between said pumping means and end surfaces of said planar laser element to prevent radiation of pumping wavelengths From entering said end surfaces.

Claim 6

The laser device of claim 1 including a cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and said surfaces of said refracting prisms.

Claim 7

The laser device of claim 2 including a cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and said surfaces of said refracting prisms, the cooling fluid having an index of refraction approximately the same as that of said active laser medium to thereby maintain optically contacting surfaces between the refracting prisms and the major surfaces of said laser element.

Claim 8

The laser device of claim 5 wherein the cooling fluid has an index of refraction significantly different from that of said active laser medium.

Claim 9

The laser device of claim 5 wherein the cooling fluid has an index of refraction approximately the same as that of said active laser medium.

Claim 10

The laser device of claim 5 wherein the cooling fluid is dimethyl sulfoxide.

Claim 11

The laser device of claim 1 including a right angle prism having an index of refraction equal to at least the square root of two and positioned with the right angle subtending surface contiguous to one of said second surfaces of said refracting prisms, said pumping means comprising a plurality of flash lamps arranged in banks, each bank being adjacent to a different one of the right angle defining surfaces of said right angle prism.

Claim 12

The laser device of claim 1 including a plurality of right angle prisms positioned adjacent end surfaces of the two most remotely located refracting prisms for reflecting a beam of light entering an input portion of said end surfaces a plurality of times through different regions of said active laser medium before the light beam exits through an output portion in one of said end surfaces.

Claim 13

The laser device of claim 1 including a cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and said surfaces of said refracting prisms, a right angle immersing prism having an index of refraction equal to at least the square root of two and positioned with the right angle subtending surface contiguous to one of said second surfaces of said refracting prisms, wherein said pumping means comprises a plurality of flash lamps arranged in two banks, each bank being adjacent to a different one of the right angle defining surfaces of said immersing prisms; and a plurality of prisms positioned adjacent end surfaces of the two most remotely located refracting prisms for reflecting a beam of light entering an input portion in one of said end surfaces a plurality of times through different regions of said active laser medium before the light beam exits through an output portion in one of said end surfaces.

Claim 14

A laser device comprising pumping means for emitting radiation of pumping wavelengths; two planar laser elements comprising active laser medium and having major surfaces with transverse dimensions larger than the distance between said major surfaces, said planar laser elements being angularly disposed with respect to one another; refracting end prisms having surfaces positioned contiguous to the outside major surface of each planar element and forming interfaces therewith; a refracting intermediate prism having two surfaces positioned contiguous to the inside major surface of each planar element and forming interfaces therewith; each of said end and intermediate refracting prisms having at least one second surface positioned adjacent said pumping means to thereby be substantially uniformly illuminated by the radiation of pumping wavelengths and refracting said radiation of pumping wavelengths substantially uniformly over said major surfaces of said planar elements; said active laser medium emitting coherent radiation in response to radiation of pumping wavelengths, said coherent radiation radiating substantially along an axis which extends through said interfaces but not through said second surfaces.

Claim 15

A laser device comprising pumping means for emitting radiation of pumping wavelengths; two planar laser elements comprising active laser medium and having major surfaces with transverse dimensions larger than the distance between said major surfaces, said planar laser elements being angularly disposed with respect to one another; refracting end prisms having surfaces positioned contiguous to the outside major surface of each planar element and forming interfaces therewith; a refracting intermediate prism having two surfaces positioned contiguous to the inside major surface of each planar element and forming interfaces therewith; each of said end and intermediate refracting prisms having at least one second surface positioned adjacent said pumping means to thereby be substantially uniformly illuminated by the radiation of pumping wavelengths and refracting said radiation of pumping wavelengths substantially uniformly over said major surfaces of said planar elements; said active laser medium emitting coherent radiation in response to radiation of pumping wavelengths, said coherent radiation radiating substantially along an axis which extends through said interfaces but not through said second surfaces.

Claim 16

The laser device of claim 13 wherein the active laser medium has An index of refraction approximately the same as that of said refracting prisms to thereby form optically contacting surfaces between the refracting prisms and the major surfaces of said laser element whereby the coherent radiation is emitted without significant reflection or refraction.

Claim 17

The laser device of claim 13 wherein the active laser medium has an index of refraction significantly different from that of said refracting prisms.

Claim 18

The laser device of claim 13 including light pipe means in optical contact with said second surfaces of said refracting prisms and positioned between said second surfaces and said pumping means, said light pipe means receiving radiation of pumping wavelengths and providing uniform illumination on said second surfaces.

Claim 19

The laser device of claim 13 including a first reflecting means substantially totally reflecting to coherent radiation and positioned adjacent an end surface of one of said end prisms, a second reflecting means partially reflecting to coherent radiation and positioned adjacent an end surface of the other of said end prisms, said first and second reflecting means being substantially parallel to each other and intersecting the optical axis along which coherent radiation radiates.

Claim 20

The laser device of claim 13 including a cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and the surfaces of said prisms contiguous thereto.

Claim 21

The laser device of claim 18 wherein the cooling fluid has an index of refraction significantly different from that of the laser medium.

Claim 22

The laser device of claim 18 wherein the cooling fluid has an index of refraction substantially the same as that of the active laser medium and prisms to thereby form optically contacting surfaces between the refracting prisms and the major surfaces of said laser elements whereby the coherent radiation is emitted without significant reflection losses.

Claim 23

The laser device of claim 13 including two right angle prisms having an index of refraction equal to at least the square root of two and positioned with the right angle subtending surfaces contiguous to the second surfaces of the end and intermediate prisms, said pumping means being a plurality of flash lamps arranged in banks, each bank being adjacent to a different one of the right angle defining surfaces of said right angle prisms.

Claim 24

The laser device of claim 13 including a plurality of prisms positioned adjacent end surfaces of said end prisms for reflecting a beam of light entering an input portion in one of said end surfaces a plurality of times through different regions of said active laser medium before the light beam exits through an output portion in one of said end surfaces.

Claim 25

The laser device of claim 13 including a cooling fluid having an index of refraction approximately the same as that of said active laser medium, said cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and said optically contacting surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms and maintaining said laser elements and said prisms in optical contact; right angle immersing prisms having an index of refraction equal to at least the square root two and positioned with the right angle subtending surfaces contiguous to said second surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms, wherein said pumping means comprises a plurality of flash lamps arranged in banks, each bank being adjacent to a different one of the right angle immersing prisms; and a plurality of prisms positioned adjacent end surfaces of said refracting end prisms for reflecting a beam of light entering an input portion in one of said end surfaces a plurality of times through different regions of said active laser medium before the light beam exits through an output portion in one of said end surfaces.

Claim 26

A laser device comprising pumping means for emitting radiation of pumping wavelengths, a plurality of planar laser elements comprising an active laser medium and each having major sUrfaces with transverse dimensions larger than the distance between major surfaces, said plurality of planar laser elements arranged in a pattern such that alternate planar laser elements are substantially parallel and adjacent planar laser elements are angularly disposed relative to each other with the angles therebetween being substantially equal; refracting end prisms having surfaces positioned contiguous to the outside major surfaces of each end planar laser element and forming interfaces therewith; refracting intermediate prisms positioned substantially between adjacent planar laser elements, said intermediate prisms having first surfaces contiguous to the inside major surfaces of adjacent planar laser elements and forming interfaces therewith; each of said end and intermediate refracting prisms having at least one second surface positioned adjacent said pumping means to thereby be substantially uniformly illuminated by the radiation of pumping wavelengths and refracting said radiation of pumping wavelengths substantially uniformly over said major surfaces of said planar laser elements; said active laser medium emitting coherent radiation in response to radiation of pumping wavelengths which radiates substantially along an axis which extends through said interfaces but not through said second surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms.

Claim 27

A laser device comprising pumping means for emitting radiation of pumping wavelengths, a plurality of planar laser elements comprising an active laser medium and each having major sUrfaces with transverse dimensions larger than the distance between major surfaces, said plurality of planar laser elements arranged in a pattern such that alternate planar laser elements are substantially parallel and adjacent planar laser elements are angularly disposed relative to each other with the angles therebetween being substantially equal; refracting end prisms having surfaces positioned contiguous to the outside major surfaces of each end planar laser element and forming interfaces therewith; refracting intermediate prisms positioned substantially between adjacent planar laser elements, said intermediate prisms having first surfaces contiguous to the inside major surfaces of adjacent planar laser elements and forming interfaces therewith; each of said end and intermediate refracting prisms having at least one second surface positioned adjacent said pumping means to thereby be substantially uniformly illuminated by the radiation of pumping wavelengths and refracting said radiation of pumping wavelengths substantially uniformly over said major surfaces of said planar laser elements; said active laser medium emitting coherent radiation in response to radiation of pumping wavelengths which radiates substantially along an axis which extends through said interfaces but not through said second surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms.

Claim 28

The device of claim 24 wherein the active laser medium has an index of refraction approximately the same as that of said refracting prisms to thereby form optically contacting surfaces between the refracting prisms and the major surfaces of said laser elements whereby the coherent radiation is emitted without significant reflection or refraction, said pumping means is a bank of flash lamps positioned adjacent to said second surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms which are located on one side of the pattern defined by the planar laser elements, reflecting means substantially totally reflecting to radiation of pumping wavelengths positioned contiguous to said second surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms which are located on the other side of the pattern defined by the planar laser elements.

Claim 29

The device of claim 24 including a cooling fluid having an index of refraction approximately the same as that of said active laser medium, said cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and said surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms and maintaining said laser elements and said prisms in optical contact.

Claim 30

The device of claim 24 including a cooling fluid having an index of refraction significantly different from that of said active laser medium, said cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and said surfaces of said end and intermediate refracting prisms.

Claim 31

The laser device of claim 24 including right angle prisms having an index of refraction equal to at least the square root of two and positioned with the right angle subtending surfaces contiguous to said second surfaces, said pumping means comprising a plurality of flash lamps arranged in banks, each bank being adjacent to a different one of the right angle defining surfaces of said right angle prisms.

Claim 32

The laser device of claim 24 including a plurality of prisms positioned adjacent end surfaces of said refracting end prisms for reflecting a beam of light entering an input portion in one of said end surfaces a plurality of times through different regions of said active laser medium before the light beam exits through an output portion in one of said end surfaces.

Claim 33

The laser device of claim 24 including a cooling fluid having an index of refraction approximately the same as that of said coherent radiation emitting material, said cooling fluid flowing between said major surfaces and said surfaces of said end and intermediate prisms and maintaining said laser elements and said prisms in optical contact; right angle prisms having an index of refRaction of at least the square root of two and positioned with the right angle subtending surfaces contiguous to said second surfaces, said pumping means comprising a plurality of flash lamps arranged in banks, each band being adjacent to a different one of the right angle defining surfaces of said right angle prisms; and a plurality of prisms positioned adjacent end surfaces of said end refracting prisms for reflecting a beam of light entering an input portion in one of said end surfaces a plurality of times through different regions of said active laser medium before the light beam exits through an output portion in one of said end surfaces.