Optically end-pumped slab amplifier comprising pump modules arranged in a distributed manner

摘要

An optically end-pumped amplifier with a plate-shaped optical gain medium has a plurality of pump laser units for optically pumping the gain medium through at least one of the narrow side surfaces thereof. The pump laser units are designed such that the pump laser radiation, upon passing through the gain medium, has an elongated beam cross section having a short axis and a long axis running parallel to the main surfaces of the gain medium and propagates freely through the gain medium with respect to the short axis. They are arranged such that in each case the principal axes of the beam bundles of the pump laser units impinge on one of the pumped side surfaces in a plane perpendicular to the short axis at an angle to one another, wherein the beam cross sections of the beam bundles are superimposed on one another.

主权项

1. An optically pumped amplifier and/or oscillator, which has a plate-shaped optical gain medium, which is delimited by two mutually opposite main surfaces and two mutually opposite first and second side surfaces in each case, and a plurality of pump laser units for optically pumping the gain medium through at least one of the first side surfaces, via which a laser beam to be amplified propagates through the gain medium,
wherein the pump laser units direct pump laser radiation onto the at least one first side surface as beam bundles and are designed such that the pump laser radiation emitted by the pump laser units, upon passing through the gain medium, has an elongated beam cross section having a short axis and a long axis running parallel to the main surfaces and propagates through the gain medium without being guided by the main surfaces, characterised, in that the pump laser units are arranged such that in each case, the main axes of the beam bundles of a plurality of pump laser units impinge on one of the first side surfaces or on both first side surfaces in a plane perpendicular to the short axis at an angle to one another, and the beam cross sections of the beam bundles are in each case superimposed on one another on the first side surface(s).