Pump Temporal Concentrator for High Peak-Power Laser Bursts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser systems face challenges in generating high peak-power pulse bursts while meeting size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) requirements, as they often require high pump-power levels that low-end high-energy laser systems cannot satisfy, especially in applications like advanced LADAR systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that temporally concentrate continuous wave (CW) or quasi-continuous wave (QCW) pump power by accumulating optical pump power in a first laser gain medium and providing it as a feedback-controlled waveform to a second laser gain medium during a shorter period, enabling the generation of high peak-power pulse bursts through a power amplifier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high pump-power levels are used to generate high peak-power pulse bursts, then the laser output power is improved, but the size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) requirements are not satisfied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by accumulating pump energy in the first laser gain medium over an extended time period before releasing it as a concentrated pulse. The pump power is stored in the gain medium during a pumping phase, then released during a shorter burst phase, allowing the system to achieve high peak power without requiring continuously high pump power levels, thus reducing overall system power requirements and SWaP-C.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the laser system into two distinct gain media with different functions: the first laser gain medium serves as an energy storage element that accumulates pump power, while the second laser gain medium acts as the output source that generates the high peak-power bursts. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific role, reducing the overall system complexity and SWaP-C while maintaining high output power capability.
2Power
If high pump-power levels are used to generate high peak-power pulse bursts, then the laser output power is improved, but the pump source size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump temporal concentrator performs preliminary energy accumulation in the first laser gain medium, converting continuous or quasi-continuous pump power into stored energy that can be released as high peak-power pulses. This preliminary action allows the use of lower-power, simpler pump sources that would otherwise be insufficient for generating high peak-power bursts directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The first laser gain medium acts as an intermediary between the pump source and the second laser gain medium. It receives continuous or quasi-continuous pump power, stores the energy temporarily, and then releases it as concentrated pump pulses to the second gain medium. This intermediary function enables the system to use simpler, lower-power pump sources while still achieving high peak-power output.
3Ease of operation
If continuous wave pump power is used, then the pump source simplicity is improved, but the peak-power output during short periods is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses preliminary energy accumulation in the first laser gain medium to convert simple continuous wave pump power into concentrated peak-power pulses. The continuous pump power is stored over time in the gain medium's energy states, then released as high peak-power bursts when stimulated, achieving both operational simplicity and high peak-power output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameters of the pump power delivery by using the first laser gain medium to accumulate energy over an extended period and then release it in a concentrated pulse. This parameter transformation converts continuous low-power input into pulsed high-power output, maintaining ease of operation with simple CW pump sources while achieving the required peak-power levels.
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
This approach allows for the generation of high peak-power pulse bursts with higher power levels during shorter periods, using low-power pump sources, thereby meeting SWaP-C requirements and optimizing laser systems for diverse applications.
Implementation Method 1
accumulating optical pump power in a first laser gain medium during a first period of time
Implementation Method 2
providing at least some of the accumulated optical pump power as a first laser output with a feedback-controlled waveform from the first laser gain medium to the second laser gain medium
Implementation Method 3
generating a second laser output having a burst of laser pulses using the second laser gain medium as a power amplifier
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes accumulating optical pump power in a first laser gain medium during a first period of time, where the first laser gain medium is optically located within a resonator. The method also includes providing at least some of the accumulated optical pump power as a first laser output with a feedback-controlled waveform from the first laser gain medium to a second laser gain medium during a second period of time, where the second period of time is substantially shorter than the first period of time. The method further includes generating a second laser output having a burst of laser pulses using the second laser gain medium as a power amplifier. The first and second laser outputs have higher power levels during the second period of time compared to a power level of the optical pump power during the first period of time.