Patent ID: 6690695
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
An optically-pumped laser apparatus comprising:a solid state gain medium having boundaries that define an integrated pump cavity including transverse boundaries; an optical system that defines a laser axis through a first end and a second end of said gain medium; an optical pump source that supplies optical pump radiation to said gain medium in a direction transverse to the laser axis; said transverse boundaries being highly reflective such that said optical pump radiation is substantially contained within said boundaries and absorbed by said gain medium, thereby energizing said gain medium to generate a laser emission along said laser axis; and means for cooling said solid state gain medium to provide an approximately constant temperature on a first two of said transverse boundaries, said cooling means also providing a predetermined temperature variation on a second two of said transverse boundaries, said cooling means including a heat sink coupled directly to said transverse boundaries of said solid state gain medium.