High power visible laser with a laser-fabricated non-linear waveguide

Abstract

Novel methods and systems for waveguide fabrication and design are disclosed. Designs are described for fabricating ridge, buried and hybrid waveguides by a femtosecond pulsed laser. A laser system may combine a diode bar, a wavelength combiner and a waveguide. The waveguide may convert the electromagnetic radiation of an infrared laser into that the visible-wavelength range.

1 . A wavelength-converting nonlinear ridge waveguide comprising:
 a nonlinear crystal substrate;   a first dielectric layer on a top surface of the nonlinear crystal substrate;   a waveguide layer on a top surface of the first dielectric layer, the waveguide layer comprising at least one laser-fabricated ridge region, the at least one laser-fabricated ridge region being configured to allow formation of an optical mode, the optical mode substantially delimited by the at least one laser-fabricated ridge region and the first dielectric layer; and   a second dielectric layer on a top surface of the waveguide layer.   
     
     
         2 . The wavelength-converting nonlinear ridge waveguide of  claim 1 , wherein the nonlinear crystal substrate is congruent lithium tantalite. 
     
     
         3 . The wavelength-converting nonlinear ridge waveguide of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second dielectric layers are silicon oxide. 
     
     
         4 . The wavelength-converting nonlinear ridge waveguide of  claim 1 , wherein the waveguide layer is lithium tantalite. 
     
     
         5 . The wavelength-converting nonlinear ridge waveguide of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ridge region has a height between 5 and 20 micrometers, a width between 20 and 50 micrometers, and a distance between the top surface of the ridge region and the top surface of the first insulating layer is between 15 and 50 micrometers. 
     
     
         6 - 24 . (canceled)