Hop V Nguyen

US Patent:

53295390, Jul 12, 1994

Filed:

Oct 28, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/783532

Inventors:

Leonard P. Pearson - Sunnyvale CA
Todd E. Olson - Palo Alto CA
Hop G. Nguyen - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Lightwave Electronics - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H01S 3045

US Classification:

372 36

Abstract:

Compact solid state laser apparatus that includes a laser diode pump, beam forming optics, a laser gain medium and optical resonator, a photodetector to vary the power supplied to the laser diode pump to suppress relaxation oscillations that might otherwise appear in the laser gain medium output light beam, an optical isolator and laser output optics. Each of the optical components has an independently activatable heater to allow optical alignment of that component. Each of the laser diode pump and laser gain medium has an independently activatable thermoelectric cooler to allow optical alignment (laser gain medium only) and to provide thermal tuning of the output wavelength of that device. An optical platform, which is thermally conductive, electrically non-conductive and has low thermal expansion, supports the other components, provides a substrate for electrical traces that provide power for operation of the apparatus and contains the heaters for the optical components.