Robert C Stoneman

US Patent:

6813302, Nov 2, 2004

Filed:

Aug 3, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/921495

Inventors:

Robert C. Stoneman - Louisville CO
Sammy W. Henderson - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Coherent Technologies, Inc. - Boulder CO

International Classification:

H01S 3091

US Classification:

372 75, 372 21

Abstract:

A laser device for producing laser radiation at an eyesafe wavelength from a diode-pumped solid-state laser. The device consists of three stages. The first stage is a laser diode whose output pumps the second stage. The second stage is a guided-wave laser or guided-wave Raman-shifted laser whose output pumps into the upper laser level of the Erbium laser dopant of the third stage. The third stage is an Erbium-doped solid-state crystalline-host laser whose output wavelength is in the eyesafe region. One embodiment of the device is: a cw laser diode with a wavelength in the range 0. 9 to 1. 0 microns, which pumps a guided-wave laser doped with Ytterbium and Erbium that produces laser output with a wavelength near 1. 5 microns, which further pumps an Erbium-doped crystal laser that produces laser output with a wavelength in the eyesafe region near 1. 6 microns.