Patent ID: 6167069
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A thermal gradient-reduced-zone laser, comprising:a laser medium comprising a pump face;an optically transparent member having an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of said laser medium, wherein said optically transparent member includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein said pump face is bonded to said first surface;a pump laser for producing pump light to optically pump said laser medium, wherein heat conduction is mainly through said first surface where the heat is introduced by said pump light, wherein heat flows in a direction opposite to that of said pump light, wherein the side of said laser medium opposite to that of said pump face is not in thermal contact with a conductor and thus there is no heat flux (and hence, no temperature gradient), thus producing a thermal gradient-reduced zone; anda laser cavity formed around said laser medium, wherein laser light oscillating within said laser cavity reflects by total-internal-reflection from the interface between said pump face and said optically transparent member and enters and exits through said thermal gradient-reduced zone.