Selective emitter pumped rare earth laser

Details Selective emitter pumped rare earth laser Selective emitter pumped rare earth laser

1999-05-27

2001-03-06

Scott, Jr., Leon (Department: 2881)

Coherent light generators

Particular pumping means

Pumping with optical or radiant energy

C372S069000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06198760

ABSTRACT:

The invention described herein was made by employees of the United States Government and may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for Government purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to lasers and in particular to lasers thermally pumped using rare earth selective emitters.
Selective emitters are devices for converting thermal energy into narrow band radiation. Most solid state materials have nearly a constant spectral emittance (gray body). The spectral emittance of a rare earth is characterized by several emission bands in the visible and near infrared region resulting from electronic transitions from the lowest excited states.
Selective emitters have been used in thermophotovoltaic energy conversion systems such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,584,426 and 5,080,724.
Lasing in rare earths such as neodymium (Nd), holmium (Ho) and erbium (Er) in a host material such as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG, Y
3
Al
5
O
12
) has been achieved using flashlamp or laser diode pumping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A laser includes an emitter having a selective energy emission band in response to applied thermal energy and a rare earth doped laser rod having an energy absorption band matching the emission band. The emitter and the rod are arranged to allow energy from the emitter to impinge on the rod.
Using a selective emitter allows thermal energy to be used as the input for the rare earth ion laser. Not only does using a selective emitter allow thermal energy to be the input, but it also results in higher laser efficiency than flashlamp or diode laser pumped rare earth ion lasers. Both the flashlamp and diode laser pumping mechanisms are not as efficient at converting the input energy to radiation matched to the absorption band of the laser medium.


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