Patent ID: 8315283

Claim:
A laser system comprising: a laser diode for generating a light beam; a chromium-doped hydro-thermally grown synthetic crystal having a first optical cavity; first reflective means positioned between the laser diode and the first optical cavity; the first reflective means comprising high-reflection coatings for reflecting light in the wavelength range from 729 nm to 809 nm and from 364 nm to 405 nm and an antireflection coating at 650 nm; an optical element operative to focus the generated light beam onto the first reflective means and into said first optical cavity to create a light beam such that the light beam from the laser diode is directly inputted into the optical cavity of the chromium-doped hydro-thermally grown synthetic crystal through the optical element and first reflective means; a second crystal having a second optical cavity positioned in alignment with the first optical cavity such that the frequency of the light beam is doubled; the second crystal being bonded to the chromium-doped hydro-thermally grown synthetic crystal and having an emitting face which is coated with second reflective means comprising alternating layers of SiO 2 and MgF 2 to produce a high-reflection coating in the wavelength range from 720 nm to 809 nm and an antireflection coating in the wavelength range from 364 nm to 405 nm; the second reflective means operating to manually tune the laser system to produce the output wavelength desired, the second reflective means also being operative to cause at least a portion of the beam to be emitted as ultraviolet light within an approximate wavelength range of between 337.5 nanometers and 450 nanometers; a q-switching element positioned between the first reflective means and the chromium-doped hydro-thermally grown synthetic crystal, whereby the first reflective means, the q-switching element, the chromium-doped hydro-thermally grown synthetic crystal, the second crystal and the second reflective means form a compact integral unit which emits light in the wavelength range of 364 nm to 405 nm; and wherein the laser system is manually tuned to emit 375 nm UV light by depositing antireflection coatings for 375 nm on the second reflective means.