Patent ID: 7420995
Filing Date: 2008-09-02
Classification: B23K,H01S

Abstract:
1. A simultaneously mode-locked, Q-switched laser producing laser output characterized in part by multiple time-displaced laser light pulse emission bursts, each of which including one or more mode-locked output pulses, comprising: a pumping source optically associated with a lasing medium residing in a laser resonator characterized by a Q value, the pumping source providing pumping light to stimulate a lasing gain of the lasing medium; a mode-locking device optically associated with the lasing medium and the laser resonator to establish laser light emission in a mode-locked state; and a Q-switch positioned within the laser resonator and operating to change the Q value of the laser resonator in response to a Q-switch drive signal selectively producing high and low Q states of the laser resonator, the high Q state causing production of the multiple time-displaced laser light pulse emission bursts of one or more mode-locked output pulses and the low Q state causing production of very low intensity mode-locked laser pulses between adjacent ones of the multiple time-displaced laser light pulse emission bursts to maintain for the laser output a mode-locked condition between the laser light pulse emission bursts.