System, apparatus and method employing a dual head laser

摘要

A system, apparatus and method employing a laser with a split-head, V-assembly gain material configuration. Additionally, the present invention is directed to techniques to better dissipate or remove unwanted energies in laser operations. The present invention is also directed to techniques for better collimated laser beams, with single spatial mode quality (TEM00), with improved efficiency, in extreme environments, such as in outer space.

主权项

1. A space based laser device comprising:
a first gain material, said first gain material having an orientation along an axis for a symmetrical single spatial mode round resultant laser beam; a second gain material, said second gain material having an orientation orthogonal to that of the first gain material and along said axis; a waveplate disposed between said first and second gain materials along said axis; and energy means including a plurality of diodes disposed along said first and second gain materials providing a spherical symmetrical thermal lens spatially adjusted to maintain a circular shape by use of an adjacent end mirror with means for fine tuning the drive powers in each diode to reduce elliptical aberrations to pump energy into said first and second gain materials along a zig-zag optical path while allowing laser slabs to behave optically like cylindrical laser rods formed into a dual split head V-shaped gain module in order to reduce distortion and increase efficiency in a transmitted laser beam.