In a multi-section laser amplifier, the amount of amplification available for a given number of sections is increased by passing a polarized beam of light through the initial sections of the laser amplifier twice, in opposite directions, and preventing its re-emergence at its initial point of entry by polarization discriminating means.

The invention relates to a laser telemeter, which includes a cell (8) containing a saturable absorbent material disposed between the laser generator (1) and the optical emission system (9, 10), to prevent false readings due to back scattering of the non-coherent fluorescent radiation emitted in conjunction with a laser pulse. The telemeter can be used to equip tanks and aircraft.

A selected portion of a nonferrous, metallic workpiece, such as a copper or copper alloy workpiece, is annealed to a controlled degree of temper by irradiating the selected portion of the workpiece with a pulsed laser beam, while so regulating a parameter of the pulsed laser beam as to effect the desired, controlled degree of temper. The regulated parameter may be the intensity and/or duration of a laser pulse.

A semiconductor layer for supporting a diode chip of a semiconductor laser is formed to be higher than a semiconductor layer containing a current-conducting region, whereby stresses acting on the diode chip by mounting the diode chip are relieved to prevent degradation of performance and reduced life of the semiconductor laser.

A means is provided for continuously purging deleterious contaminants including water vapor, ozone and organic vapors from the resonant cavity of lasers where the resonant cavity is characterized by a gap-space between the gain medium and the optical mirror at both ends of the cavity with each of the gap-spaces being disposed within an enclosed chamber where the contaminants tend to collect. This is accomplished by connecting the interiors of the gap-space chambers through tubular gas conduits w...

Laser apparatus is described wherein an active laser element, such as the disc of a face-pumped laser, is mounted in a housing such that the weight of the element is supported by glass spheres which fill a chamber defined in the housing between the walls of the housing and the edges of the laser element. The uniform support provided by the spheres enable the chamber and the pump side of the laser element to be sealed without affecting the alignment or other optical properties of the laser elemen...

In an optically pumped high power laser the optical pump includes a housing containing a pair of flash lamps and an elliptical reflector assembly for reflecting the optical pumping radiation into the laser gain medium, such as a YAG rod. Water coolant is directed through the housing in contacting relation with the YAG rod and flash lamps. An ultraviolet band reject filter, comprising a split cylindrical sleeve, is disposed surrounding the laser gain medium in between the laser gain medium and th...

According to the invention, the gas laser comprises a housing which accommodates two electrodes. One of the electrodes is sectional and has a ballast resistor connected to each section. One of the electrodes is so secured in the housing that it is possible to vary the spacing between the electrodes in the direction of the flow of a gas mixture passed through an active zone between the electrodes where the laser effect is produced. The invention provides for a maximum efficiency of the laser unde...

An active mirror laser amplifier is described having a slab of Nd:glass which is optically pumped through the back face while the laser beam enters the slab through the front face and is reflected by a coating on the back face which reflects the laser beam while transmitting the pumping radiation. The laser beam is amplified as it moves toward the back face and after reflection from the back face as it propagates out and is emitted from the front face. The front face has an anti-reflection coati...

There is disclosed a gaseous laser device comprising an envelope, a cathode, a lasing gaseous volume, and an anode, the envelope being comprised of at least two opposing substrates bonded together; the cathode, lasing gaseous volume, and anode being positioned within different cavities of at least one substrate such that the cathode, lasing gaseous volume, and anode are commonly confined within the envelope in an integrally connecting relationship.