Patent ID: 7212558

Claim:
A method of operating an optically pumped flowing liquid state laser gain medium in the heat capacity regime, comprising: flowing a liquid state laser gain medium in a system comprising a reservoir and an optical pumping and lasing channel; optically pumping said gain medium for a pumping period of time determined by τ = ( ɛ extr / χ ) ⁢ C p ⁢ Δ ⁢ ⁢ T ⁡ ( M in ⁢ ⁢ resonator + M in ⁢ ⁢ reservoir ) P out , wherein M in resonator is the mass if said gain medium within said optical pumping and lasing channel, M in reservoir is the mass of said gain medium in the flow lines and reservoir external to said optical pumping and lasing channel, C p is the specific heat of said gain medium, ΔT is the bulk temperature change of the entirety of said gain medium during a heat capacity sequence, P out is the desired output power, ε extr is the extraction efficiency and χ is the ratio of energy released as heat to the energy in the upper lasing level (giving gain) of said gain medium; and cooling said gain medium for a cooling period of time determined by τ cool = C p ⁢ Δ ⁢ ⁢ T ⁡ ( M in ⁢ ⁢ resonator + M in ⁢ ⁢ reservoir ) Q cool , wherein cooling said gain medium is accomplished physically remote from said optical pumping and lasing channel, wherein Q cool is the average cooling rate of said gain medium.