Werner H Wiechmann

7352784, Apr 1, 2008

Jul 20, 2004

10/896641

Frank J. Adams - Los Altos CA, US
Mark A. Arbore - Los Altos CA, US
Werner H. Wiechmann - San Jose CA, US

JDS Uniphase Corporation - Milpitas CA

H01S 3/04

372 34, 372 29011

Methods and apparatus for managing thermal loads on a laser gain medium and for boosting the output power of a diode pumped laser are disclosed. The short-term average pumping power to the gain medium is increased, to provide a burst of pumping energy to the laser gain medium. A subsequent short-term reduction in the average pumping power then allows the gain medium to cool to a desired state steady level. The average pumping power is then increased to maintain this steady state level until the next burst is desired. For example, a pulse of current may be applied to a laser diode at a first current level Ifor a first time interval Δt, where Iexceeds a nominal current value Iby an amount ΔI. The current to the laser diode is reduced to a second current level Ifor a second time interval Δt, where Iexceeds Iby an amount ΔI. To balance the thermal load on the diode an integral of ΔIover the time Δtis approximately equal in magnitude to an integral of ΔIover the time Δt.

7567594, Jul 28, 2009

Mar 28, 2006

11/277733

Loren Eyres - Palo Alto CA, US
Jeffrey Gregg - San Jose CA, US
Werner H. Wiechmann - San Jose CA, US
James J. Morehead - Mountain View CA, US

JDS Uniphase Corporation - Milpitas CA

H01S 3/10
H01S 3/11

372 25, 372 11, 372 12, 372 22, 372 21, 372 30

The invention discloses an actively Q-switched laser with an intracavity nonlinear coupler in which a stable optical frequency converted output is generated. A Gain Fluctuation Insensitivity Condition is defined and described for several examples. The nonlinear coupler with a coupling level which satisfies this Condition permits stable laser operation with minimal interaction between pulses, even when the pulses are clipped by the Q-switch. Thus, the output pulse duration and repetition frequency of the disclosed laser can be varied over a large range substantially independent of laser gain level and dynamics. Second and third harmonic optical frequency conversion is demonstrated, although the disclosed laser is applicable to other optical frequency conversion regimes as well.

6009110, Dec 28, 1999

Mar 11, 1998

9/038811

Werner H. Wiechmann - Santa Clara CA
Jeffrey D. Kmetec - Palo Alto CA
Frank J. Adams - Los Altos CA

Lightwave Electronics Corporation - Mountain View CA

H01S 311

372 10

Pulse recovery times are reduced in a pulsed intracavity frequency-converted laser by operating the laser in a continuous-wave (c. w. ) mode before operation in a Q-switched mode. C. w. light locally optically heats the frequency-conversion optics of the laser to facilitate phase-matching at the beginning of Q-switched operation. C. w. operation also reduces the amplitude of the first pulse of the subsequent firing sequence by expending population inversion accumulating in the gain medium. Operation in c. w. mode is initiated by ramping up the net optical gain in the laser cavity when the time elapsed since the latest emitted pulse exceeds 110% of the interpulse spacing prior to the latest pulse. Initiation of c. w. operation does not require external signals other than optionally a pulse trigger sequence from the user.