Patent ID: 8948220
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. Laser apparatus, comprising: a frame having a channel formed therein and said frame being formed from a first thermally conductive material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); a pedestal fitted within the channel of the frame in thermal communication therewith, the pedestal being of a second thermally conductive material having a second CTE different from the first CTE; a saturable absorption mirror supported on the pedestal; a thin crystal of a solid-state gain-medium attached to a crystal-support element aligned with and spaced apart from the saturable absorption mirror leaving an air-gap between the crystal and the saturable absorption mirror, the crystal-support element being attached to the frame; a partially transmissive mirror between the crystal and the crystal-support element, the partially transmissive mirror and the saturable absorption mirror forming a laser-resonator including the crystal, and the laser-resonator having an optical length determined by the thickness of the crystal and the thickness of the air-gap; wherein varying the temperature of the frame and the pedestal varies the thickness of the air-gap, and accordingly the optical length of the laser-resonator, dependent on the difference between the first CTE and the second CTE; and a thermal contact block of a thermally conductive material in thermal communication with the frame, and a Peltier element in thermal communication with the thermal contact block, for providing the varying of the temperature of the frame and the pedestal.