A transparent ceramic optic includes: a lasing region comprising at least one lasing species dopant; and a transparent region transparent to light generated by the lasing species. At least the transparent region is doped with at least one other dopant species such that the lasing region and the transparent region are characterized by a difference in refractive index between the two regions in an amount of about 1.010.sup.4 or less. Inventive formulations of inks suitable for fabricating transparent ceramic optics having desirable compositional characteristics such as concentration gradients in desired spatial arrangements, e.g. using additive manufacturing techniques such as direct ink writing and/or extrusion freeform fabrication are also disclosed, along with suitable techniques for forming the transparent ceramic optics from such inks.

A transparent ceramic optic includes: a lasing region comprising at least one lasing species dopant; and a transparent region transparent to light generated by the lasing species. At least the transparent region is doped with at least one other dopant species such that the lasing region and the transparent region are characterized by a difference in refractive index between the two regions in an amount of about 1.010.sup.4 or less. Inventive formulations of inks suitable for fabricating transparent ceramic optics having desirable compositional characteristics such as concentration gradients in desired spatial arrangements, e.g. using additive manufacturing techniques such as direct ink writing and/or extrusion freeform fabrication are also disclosed, along with suitable techniques for forming the transparent ceramic optics from such inks.

In accordance with an example embodiment, a laser arrangement is provided, the laser arrangement comprising a light source for generating light output; a collimator assembly for collimating the light output from the light source into a pump beam; an optical resonator assembly for generating pulsed output beam based on the pump beam directed thereat; and a beam displacement assembly for laterally shifting the pump beam to adjust the position at which the pump beam meets a surface of the optical resonator assembly.

A method for manufacturing an optical element includes a bonding step of bonding a first and a second element portion to each other without interposing an adhesive therebetween. The bonding step includes: a first step of fixing the first and the second element portion with an intermediate layer disposed between these portion, the intermediate layer containing an element substitutable for a constituent element of a bonded portion in the first and the second element portion, the intermediate layer being colored; and a second step of integrating a part of the intermediate layer with the first and the second element portion, and making a part of the intermediate layer transparent to laser light by irradiating the intermediate layer with giant pulse laser light and causing it to be absorbed into the intermediate layer after the first step.

A method for manufacturing an optical element includes a bonding step of bonding a first and a second element portion to each other without interposing an adhesive therebetween. The bonding step includes: a first step of fixing the first and the second element portion with an intermediate layer disposed between these portion, the intermediate layer containing an element substitutable for a constituent element of a bonded portion in the first and the second element portion, the intermediate layer being colored; and a second step of integrating a part of the intermediate layer with the first and the second element portion, and making a part of the intermediate layer transparent to laser light by irradiating the intermediate layer with giant pulse laser light and causing it to be absorbed into the intermediate layer after the first step.

A laser frame for holding a plurality of optical components includes a first flexure structure for adjustably holding a first one of the optical components, and a first cellular structure for supporting and cooling a second one of the optical components. The first flexure structure and the first cellular structure are each a unitary structure formed by additive manufacturing. Also, a laser frame for holding an optical component includes a passive cooling cellular structure for supporting and cooling the optical component. The passive cooling cellular structure has a non-uniform density, and the laser frame is a unitary structure formed by additive manufacturing.

The invention relates to a supercontinuum light source comprising a microstructured optical fiber and a pump light source. The microstructured optical fiber comprises a core and a cladding region surrounding the core, as well as a first fiber length section, a second fiber length section and an intermediate fiber length section between said first and second fiber length sections. The first fiber length section comprises a core with a first characteristic core diameter. The second fiber length section comprises a core with a second characteristic core diameter, smaller than said first characteristic core diameter, where said second characteristic core diameter is substantially constant along said second fiber length section. The intermediate length section of the optical fiber comprises a core which is tapered from said first characteristic core diameter to said second characteristic core diameter over a tapered length.

Provided are a saturable absorber including at least one material selected from a group of MXenes, and a Q-switching and mode-locked pulsed laser system using the same.

A laser frame for holding a plurality of optical components includes a first flexure structure for adjustably holding a first one of the optical components, and a first cellular structure for supporting and cooling a second one of the optical components. The first flexure structure and the first cellular structure are each a unitary structure formed by additive manufacturing. Also, a laser frame for holding an optical component includes a passive cooling cellular structure for supporting and cooling the optical component. The passive cooling cellular structure has a non-uniform density, and the laser frame is a unitary structure formed by additive manufacturing.

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.