Continuous Wave Pumped Microlaser Ultraviolet Source

In response to a need for improvements in source technology, Laser Power Research (LPR) proposes a solution which utilized its proprietary microlaser technology as the core for a compact, efficient CW UV source. The core laser technology consists of a rare-earth doped solid state gain medium bonded to a nonlinear crystal. the monolithic structure is close coupled to a diode pump source and forms a compact and efficient intracavity doubled laser. Using external resonant doubling techniques, the Phase I program will focus on extending the microlaser source to the UV< yielding an efficient diode pumped source at 266 nm. Our analysis indicates conversion efficiencies approaching 30% are feasible, with a resulting UV power in the range of 200-500 mW from a compact, diode-pumped source. In comparison to currently available UV sources, the microlaser based design is compact, power efficient, delivers near diffraction-limited beam quality in a TEM00 [sub] mode, requires no water cooling, and is portable. Our Phase I effort will culminate with a laboratory demonstration and characterization of a microlaser based UV source.