SOLID-STATE LASER WITH ACTIVE ETALON AND METHOD THEREFOR

摘要

An active etalon (102) comprising a laser gain chip (104) interposed between an input mirror (106) and an etalon end mirror (109) is provided. In an intracavity frequency-doubled solid-state laser, a pump source (110) emits pump radiation which passes through the input mirror (106) and into the laser gain chip (104). The laser gain chip (104) lases in response to the pump radiation to produce fundamental laser light. The etalon end mirror (108) reflects a portion of the fundamental laser light back into the laser gain chip (104) and transmits the remaining portion of the fundamental laser light into the laser cavity (112). The input mirror reflects substantially all of the fundamental laser light into the laser gain chip (104). The portion of the fundamental laser light which passes through the etalon end mirror (108) may be frequency doubled by a frequency doubler chip (114) and a portion thereof transmitted through the front end of the laser cavity (112) to form the output laser beam.