Microchannel Laser with Microplasma Gain Medium
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor lasers are limited in producing high peak power pulsed visible or ultraviolet radiation and have divergent output beams of poor quality, making them unsuitable for applications requiring high power beams, while existing solutions like gas or excimer lasers are expensive and large.
Innovation Solution
Microchannel lasers with a microplasma gain medium are developed, capable of producing high-density plasmas in semiconductor or polymer materials, using electrodes to sustain plasma and optional reflectors for optical feedback, allowing for high peak power and efficient beam generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If semiconductor lasers are used, then continuous power output is achieved, but beam quality becomes poor and highly divergent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a microcavity resonator structure as an intermediary optical element that couples to the semiconductor laser gain medium. This microcavity acts as a spatial filter and mode selector, producing high-quality Gaussian beams with low divergence while the laser continues to operate in continuous wave mode for stable power output
2Power
If gas or excimer lasers are used to achieve high power beams, then peak power and beam quality improve, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of semiconductor lasers (compact size, electrical pumping, continuous operation) with the advantages of gas lasers (high peak power, good beam quality) by integrating a microcavity resonator with a semiconductor gain medium. This hybrid approach achieves high peak power output with excellent beam quality while maintaining a compact, electrically-pumped device architecture
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The microchannel lasers provide high peak power pulsed visible or ultraviolet radiation with improved beam quality, making them suitable for applications like cell sorting and environmental monitoring at a lower cost, and can produce a wide range of wavelengths from deep-UV to mid-infrared.
Implementation Method 1
high density plasmas are produced in microchannels. The microplasma acts as a gain medium with electrodes sustaining a plasma in the microchannel
Implementation Method 2
Reflectors are used with the microchannel for obtaining optical feedback to obtain lasing in the microplasma gain medium
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides microchannel lasers having a microplasma gain medium. Lasers of the invention can be formed in semiconductor materials, and can also be formed in polymer materials. In a microlaser of the invention, high density plasmas are produced in microchannels. The microplasma acts as a gain medium with the electrodes sustaining the plasma in the microchannel. Reflectors are used with the microchannel for obtaining optical feedback to obtain lasing in the microplasma gain medium in devices of the invention for a wide range of atomic and molecular species. Several atomic and molecular gain media will produce sufficiently high gain coefficients that reflectors (mirrors) are not necessary. Microlasers of the invention are based on microplasma generation in channels of various geometries. Preferred embodiment microlaser designs can be fabricated in semiconductor materials, such as Si wafers, by standard photolithographic techniques, or in polymers by replica molding.