Patent ID: 7525562
Filing Date: 2009-04-28
Classification: B23K,H01S

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for imaging a laser-responsive recording medium, the apparatus comprising: a source emitting a beam of radiation; an optical barrier element with an aperture defined therethrough, the optical barrier element blocking an outer portion of the beam whereby the aperture enables transmission of only an inner portion of the beam therethrough, the transmitted inner portion exhibiting a reduced divergence and a reduced beam quality factor (M a crystal for receiving radiation exiting the aperture, the crystal forming a single-mode radiation beam having an effective aperture based at least in part on the size of the aperture and on a doping level of the crystal; an output coupler for receiving the single-mode light beam formed by the crystal and forming a resonator cavity therewith; and a second optical barrier element with a second aperture defined therethrough, the second aperture being positioned within the resonator cavity to reduce modal power disturbances and configured to pass the fundamental mode of the light beam while blocking higher-order modes.