| 摘要 |
Apparatus and method for achieving improved performance n a solid-state laser. The solid-state laser apparatus (10) preferably uses a laser gain medium (12) in the shape of a disk wherein optical pump radiation (36) is injected into the peripheral edge of the disk. In the preferred embodiment the laser gain medium is provided with optical coatings for operation in the active mirror configuration. Furthermore, the laser gain medium is pressure-clamped to a rigid, cooled substrate (46), which allows it to maintain a prescribed shape even when experiencing significant thermal load. A cooling medium (52) can be provided to a heat exchanger internal to the substrate and/or flowed through the passages on the substrate surface, thereby directly cooling the laser gain medium. Sources (68) of optical pump radiation are played around the perimeter of the gain medium. Tapered ducts (20) may be disposed between the sources and the gain medium for the purpose of concentrating optical pump radiation. With the proper choice of laser gain medium doping, pump source divergence and geometry, a uniform laser gain is achieved across large portions of the gain medium. |
