Picosecond Q-switched microlasers

U.S. Patent Number: 5381431

Abstract: A Q-switched laser having a gain medium disposed within a first resonant cavity and a second resonant cavity, sharing a common mirror with the first cavity, whose optical length is adjustable such that the quality Q of the first resonant cavity is affected. One aspect of the invention is the selection of the cavity lengths and the reflectivities of the mirrors of the first and second cavity such that Q-switched pulses of less than 100-ps duration can be obtained. Another aspect of the invention is the ability to generate said pulses with peak powers in excess of 100 kW for applications in high-precision optical radar, nonlinear optics, micromachining, microsurgery, and other applications where short pulses with high peak powers are required.

Inventors: Zayhowski; John J. (Pepperell, MA)

Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

Application Number: 08/106,229

Issued: 1995-01-10

Expired: 2007-01-10

Classes: 372/25 ; 372/10; 372/108; 372/12; 372/39; 372/69; 372/92; 372/99

Field of search: 372/25,12,10,39,41,92,69,99,108,19,22

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