Patent ID: 7239656
Filing Date: 2007-07-03
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A mode-locking laser system, comprising: a sealed enclosure; a solid state gain medium located in the sealed enclosure, the gain medium providing optical gain in a wavelength region between about 700 nm and about 1000 nm; a pump source for optically pumping the solid state gain medium in order to produce optical radiation; a plurality of optical components located in a gaseous atmosphere within said sealed enclosure and defining a resonant cavity for said optical radiation, said optical components capable of releasing water vapor into said gaseous atmosphere; a gas conditioning arrangement including a desiccant medium; a pump in fluid communication with said sealed enclosure via a first conduit and in fluid communication with said gas conditioning arrangement via a second conduit, said gas conditioning arrangement being in fluid communication with said enclosure via a third conduit; said pump being arranged to extract gas from said enclosure via said first conduit and deliver said extracted gas to said gas-conditioning arrangement via said second conduit; and said gas conditioning arrangement being configured such that said extracted gas delivered thereto by said pump passes through said desiccant medium and is then returned to said enclosure via said third conduit and operated in a manner intended to reduce water vapor from said gaseous atmosphere.