Distributed gain polygon ring laser amplification

Abstract

A distributed gain polygon ring laser system includes a substrate ring, top and bottom cover plates, an input pump laser, an output coupler and a number of reflection points. The substrate ring has inner and outer surfaces. The top and bottom cover plates are configured for vacuum sealing with the substrate ring. The input pump laser is configured to direct light into the substrate ring. The plurality of reflection points are spaced around the inner surface of the substrate ring and are configured to reflect light from the input pump laser to the output coupler in a series of reflections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A distributed gain polygon ring laser amplifier, comprising:
 a substrate ring having inner and outer surfaces; and   a plurality of reflection points spaced around the inner surface of the substrate ring and configured to reflect light from an input pump laser to an output coupler.   
     
     
         2 . The amplifier as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate ring further includes a material having thermal conductivity of greater than 300 W/mK. 
     
     
         3 . The amplifier as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate ring further includes a material having a melting point greater than 2000° C. 
     
     
         4 . The amplifier as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of the reflection points includes a laser mirror coupled to the substrate ring, laser media provided to the laser mirror and an anti-reflective coating provided to the laser media. 
     
     
         5 . The amplifier as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the laser mirror is configured with an interior ellipsoidal surface directed with foci towards the interior of the substrate ring. 
     
     
         6 . A master oscillator power amplifier laser system, comprising:
 a substrate ring having inner and outer surfaces;   top and bottom cover plates configured for vacuum sealing with the substrate ring;   an input pump laser configured to direct light into the substrate ring;   an output coupler; and   a plurality of reflection points spaced around the inner surface of the substrate ring configured to reflect light from the input pump laser to the output coupler.   
     
     
         7 . The system as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the substrate ring further includes a ceramic material. 
     
     
         8 . The system as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the laser mirror is configured with an interior ellipsoidal surface directed with foci towards the interior of the substrate ring. 
     
     
         9 . The system as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising a cooling fluid contained within a region defined between the top and bottom cover plates and the outer surface of the substrate ring. 
     
     
         10 . The system as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising refractive-index-matching cooling fluids at the interior of the substrate ring. 
     
     
         11 . A ring laser reflection point, comprising:
 a laser mirror;   an anti-reflective coating; and   laser media sandwiched between the laser mirror and the anti-reflective coating.   
     
     
         12 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the laser mirror includes layers of diamond-like carbon and Lu 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         13 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the laser mirror includes layers of TiO 2  and SiO 2 . 
     
     
         14 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the laser mirror includes an interior ellipsoidal incident surface and an exterior surface configured for coupling with a laser ring substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the laser media includes a ceramic. 
     
     
         16 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the laser media includes Lu 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         17 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the laser media includes Lu 2 O 3  doped with rare earth minerals. 
     
     
         18 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the anti-reflective coating exhibits less than 5% reflectivity. 
     
     
         19 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the anti-reflective coating exhibits no more than 0.5% reflectivity. 
     
     
         20 . The laser ring reflection point as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the anti-reflective coating includes diamond-like carbon.