Patent ID: 6331993
Filing Date: 2001-12-18
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
An end-pumped diode-pumped gas laser comprising:a source of optical diode-pumping light, the diode-pumping light having a bandwidth defining a center wavelength;a gas cell having a first optical window for receiving the diode-pumping light and a second optical window for transmitting a laser light having a wavelength;a laser gas disposed within the gas cell, the laser gas comprising a lasing gas having at least one absorbing and lasing atomic or molecular gas having an optical absorption band, the bandwidth of the diode-pumping light at least partially overlapping the absorption band of the lasing gas;gas laser resonator means for providing an output laser beam having one or more laser wavelengths, the gas laser resonator means having a fundamental TEM.sub.00 mode volume distribution;diode optics means for directing the diode-pumping light through the first optical window, the diode optic means being adapted and configured to couple the diode-pumping light directly into the lowest order fundamental TEM.sub.00 mode of the gas laser resonator means; anda heat power regulation system for regulating the temperature of the source of optical diode-pumping light.