Patent ID: 7310359

Claim:
A thermally self-correcting optical gain module comprising: a first heat conductor substantially transparent to one or more desired wavelengths of light, said first heat conductor having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, a first coefficient or thermal conductivity, and first and second optical surfaces; a first gain medium operable to produce light at one or more desired wavelength and having first and second optical surfaces, said first gain medium disposed adjacent to said first heat conductor, said first gain medium having a second coefficient of thermal expansion greater than said first coefficient of thermal expansion, said first gain medium having a second coefficient of thermal conductivity lesser than said first coefficient of thermal conductivity, wherein said first gain medium is operable to receive pump energy from a means for pumping, wherein said first optical surface of said first gain medium has a predetermined shape at a first optical output condition, wherein said first optical surface of said first gain medium is substantially dissimilar to said first optical surface of said first heat conductor at said first optical output condition, and wherein said first optical surface of said first gain medium substantially conforms to and contacts said first optical surface of said first heat conductor at a second optical output condition, wherein heat conduction can occur from said first gain medium to said first heat conductor through an interface formed by said first optical surface of said first heat conductor and said first optical surface of said first gain medium at said second pumping condition; wherein said first optical surface of said first gain medium is concave toward said first optical surface of said first heat conductor; and wherein said first optical surface of said first gain medium has a substantially Gaussian or Hermite-Gaussian profile relative to said optical axis.