Patent ID: RE42499

Claim:
A method for amplifying an optical pulse in a laser comprising the steps of: generating a pulsed light in a Q-switched, amplifier pump laser including an intracavity frequency altering device wherein said pump laser includes an elongated gain medium have a light propagation axis extending longitudinally therethrough and wherein said gain medium is pumped by at least two elongated diode laser pump sources mounted along the side of the gain medium at two circumferentially spaced apart positions ; directing the pulsed light to an optical gain element of an optical amplifier comprising a medium of optically responsive atoms; exciting the atoms to a metastable state using the pulsed light; and directing a seed pulse at the gain element of an said optical amplifier, thereby causing the excited atoms to emit an amplified optical pulse . ; and redirecting the amplified optical pulse through the gain element, thereby causing the excited atoms to emit a further amplified optical pulse .