Patent ID: 7609742

Claim:
A linear optical resonator, comprising: an optical cavity, for amplifying laser radiation; and a plurality of optical elements disposed in a circumferential array along the perimeter of said cavity, each in an allocated one of a plurality of substantially equally spaced perimeter segments, and each cooperatively aligned to receive and transmit laser radiation through said cavity along a propagation path substantially in the form of a star polygon, wherein said circumferential array of said plurality of optical elements comprises an outcoupler, an end mirror, and one or more active mirror amplifier (AMA) modules, each of said plurality of elements being positioned along the cavity perimeter at an associated one of a like plurality of vertices of said star polygon laser propagation path, said outcoupler and said end mirror being positioned at terminal vertices of said star polygon propagation path for circulating the laser radiation therebetween, and said AMA modules being arranged in operating relationship to one another at vertices intermediate thereto for amplifying the laser radiation cycling between said outcoupler and said end mirror.