Patent ID: 6798813
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A mode-locking laser system, comprising:a sealed enclosure; a solid state gain medium located in the sealed enclosure; 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 enclosure and defining a resonant cavity for said optical radiation, said optical components releasing water vapor and organic vapors into said gaseous atmosphere, and with particulate matter being generated by interaction of said optical radiation with one or more of said water vapor and said organic vapors; a gas conditioning arrangement including a desiccant medium, a medium for trapping organic vapors, and a filter for trapping particulate matter; a pump, said pump in fluid communication with said enclosure via a first conduit and in fluid communication with said gas conditioning arrangement via a second conduit and 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, in sequence, through said desiccant medium, said organic vapor trapping medium, and said filter and is then returned to said enclosure via said third conduit and operated only in a manner intended to reduce water vapor, organic vapor and particulate matter from said gaseous atmosphere.