Ring laser with improved beam quality

Coherent light generators – Particular resonant cavity – Folded cavity

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372 9, 372101, 372 99, 372 27, H01S 3083

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active

049493582

ABSTRACT:
A rod laser having a ring cavity configuration, and including a polarization rotator to compensate for birefringence of the laser's rod. Preferably, the rotator is a 90.degree. crystal quartz rotator. In a preferred embodiment, the ring laser is a stable quasi-unidirectional, non-confocal solid state ring laser. A telescope, including at least two lenses with variable inter-lens spacing, is preferably positioned in the laser beam path as closely as possible to the laser rod. The spacing between the telescope lenses is preferably controlled by a servo mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, a power density detector is provided for producing a beam power signal, and a means (which may include a microprocessor) coupled to the power density detector generates a servo mechanism feedback control signal from the beam power signal. Since the system of the invention maintains a high quality output beam having low far-field beam divergence and small laser beam focal spot diameter, over a wide and varying range of output beam power, the output beam is particularly useful for such applications as high speed drilling, welding, and cutting.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4194168 (1980-03-01), Jarrett et al.
patent: 4656433 (1987-04-01), Franklin et al.
patent: 4656635 (1987-04-01), Baer et al.
patent: 4671624 (1987-06-01), Kahan
A. R. Clobes et al., "Single-Frequency Traveling-Wave Nd:YAG Laser," Applied Physics Letters, vol. 21, pp. 265-267 (1972).
W. Koeschner, Solid-State Laser Engineering, Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 1976, pp. 200 and 344-365.
W. C. Scott, "Birefringence Compensation and TEM.sub.00 Mode Enhancement in a Nd:YAG Laser," Applied Physics Letters, vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 3-4 (1971).

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