A high average and peak power single transverse mode laser system is operative to output ultrashort single mode (SM) pulses in femtosecond-, picosecond- or nanosecond-pulse duration range at a kW to MW peak power level. The disclosed system deploys master oscillator power amplifier configuration (MOPA) including a SM fiber seed, outputting a pulsed signal beam at or near 1030 nm wavelength, and a Yb crystal booster. The booster is end-pumped by a pump beam output from a SM or low-mode CW fiber laser at a pump wavelength in a 1000-1020 nm wavelength range so that the signal and pump wavelengths are selected to have an ultra-low-quantum defect of less than 3%.

There is provided a passive Q-switch pulse laser device including a laser medium, and a saturable absorber. The laser medium is disposed between a pair of reflection means included in an optical resonator. The laser medium is excited by specific excitation light to emit emission light. The saturable absorber is disposed on an optical axis of the optical resonator and on a downstream side of the laser medium between the pair of reflection means. The saturable absorber has a transmittance increased by absorption of the emission light. At least one of the pair of reflection means is a polarizing element. The polarizing element has different reflectances with respect to the respective pieces of emission light in polarization directions orthogonal to each other.

Systems and methods for imaging in the short wave infrared (SWIR), photodetectors with low dark current and associated circuits for reducing dark currents and methods for generating image information based on data of a photodetector array. A SWIR imaging system may include a pulsed illumination source operative to emit radiation pulses in the SWIR band towards a target resulting in reflected radiation from the target; (b) an imaging receiver including a plurality of Ge PDs operative to detect the reflected SWIR radiation and a controller, operative to control activation of the receiver for an integration time during which the accumulated dark current noise does not exceed the time independent readout noise.

A laser-enhanced chemical vapor deposition transport system includes a resistive heated crucible and, projecting from the crucible at a first end, a plurality of spokes. The spokes are configured to deliver, substantially simultaneously, vaporized and/or sublimated media powder from the crucible to a plurality of deposition sites, deliver precursor gasses to the deposition sites and propagate beams emitted from one or more laser sources to the deposition sites.

A master oscillator configured as a seed laser for a laser optical module includes a reduced size, temperature controlled non-planar ring oscillator, a piezo-electric transducer mounted on the non-planar ring oscillator, a pump laser diode, and coupling optics configured to couple a laser output of the pump laser diode to an end face of the non-planar ring oscillator. The pump laser diode may operate as a single-mode pump.

A CW laser with a rotating ring gain element is disclosed. The ring is pumped at multiple locations and the laser generates a mid-IR output. Multiple pumped gain portions of the ring provide a power scaled output. The gain portions may be positioned in a single resonator cavity, in multiple resonator cavities, and in MOPA architectures with associated focusing, folding, and combining optical elements.

A microchip laser and a handpiece including the microchip laser. The microchip laser includes a laser medium with input and output facets. The input facet is coated with a highly reflective dielectric coating at microchip laser wavelength and highly transmissive at pump wavelength. The output facet is coated with a partially reflective at microchip laser wavelength dielectric coating. A saturable absorber attached by intermolecular forces to output facet of microchip laser. A handpiece for skin treatment includes the microchip laser.

A joined body (10) includes an optical material (11) and a cooling material (12) that are capable of transmitting light and are joined together. At a joining interface between the optical material (11) and the cooling material (12), the joined body (10) is capable of transmitting light, and also an atom contained in the optical material (11) diffusively enters the cooling material (12) in such a degree that an interference fringe is not generated in the joined body (10). A diffusive entry length of an atom contained in the optical material (11) into the cooling material (12) may be in a range from approximately 1.0 nm to approximately 10 μm.

Laser devices include a light source that emits a laser beam, an optical system that concentrates the laser beam emitted from the light source, an optical window through which the laser beam exited from the optical system passes, a housing that accommodates the optical system, and an optical window holding member fixed to the housing. The optical window holding member holds the optical window. In the first laser device, the optical window has a face or a protruding face through which the laser beam passes. When the optical window has the face, the face is flush with an edge of the optical window holding member and a film is formed on the face. When the optical window has the protruding face, the protruding face protrudes with reference to the edge of the optical window holding member and a film is formed on the protruding face.

Systems and methods for imaging in the short wave infrared (SWIR), photodetectors with low dark current and associated circuits for reducing dark currents and methods for generating image information based on data of a photodetector array. A SWIR imaging system may include a pulsed illumination source operative to emit radiation pulses in the SWIR band towards a target resulting in reflected radiation from the target; (b) an imaging receiver including a plurality of Ge PDs operative to detect the reflected SWIR radiation and a controller, operative to control activation of the receiver for an integration time during which the accumulated dark current noise does not exceed the time independent readout noise.