A compact laser is provided for in accordance with an exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure includes a compact resonator structure using a non-planar geometry of bulk components. The laser includes a preferred rotational direction of lasing modes and employs bulk components for establishing the preferred rotational direction of lasing modes within resonator. In some embodiments, the preferred rotational direction of lasing modes is established using a reflective element that is outside the resonator structure. In some embodiments, the reflective element induces polarization shifts in the reflected light that are compensated for by a wave plate, which may be outside the resonator structure.

A solid state ring laser gyroscope comprises a laser block including a resonant ring cavity having an optical closed loop pathway; a plurality of mirror structures mounted on the block and including respective multilayer mirrors that reflect light beams around the closed loop pathway; and a pump laser assembly in optical communication with the closed loop pathway through one of the mirror structures. One or more of the multilayer mirrors includes a rare-earth doped gain layer operative to produce bidirectional optical amplification of counter-propagating light beams in the closed loop pathway. In some embodiments, the gain layer comprises a rare-earth dopant other than neodymium that is doped into a glassy host material comprising titania, tantalum oxide, alumina, zirconia, silicate glass, phosphate glass, tellurite glass, fluorosilicate glass, or non-oxide glass. Alternatively, the gain layer can comprise a neodymium dopant that is doped into a glassy host material other than silica.

A solid-state laser amplifier includes a core material providing an active gain medium. A cladding material is on the core material that is the same material as the core material that further comprises a broadband absorber material. The cladding material suppresses transverse oscillations in solid-state, single-crystal or ceramic laser amplifiers by employing a native-material, solid-state, index-matched cladding containing an appropriate broadband absorber.

A solid state ring laser gyroscope comprises a laser block including a resonant ring cavity having an optical closed loop pathway; a plurality of mirror structures mounted on the block and including respective multilayer mirrors that reflect light beams around the closed loop pathway; and a pump laser assembly in optical communication with the closed loop pathway through one of the mirror structures. One or more of the multilayer mirrors includes a rare-earth doped gain layer operative to produce bidirectional optical amplification of counter-propagating light beams in the closed loop pathway. In some embodiments, the gain layer comprises a rare-earth dopant other than neodymium that is doped into a glassy host material comprising titania, tantalum oxide, alumina, zirconia, silicate glass, phosphate glass, tellurite glass, fluorosilicate glass, or non-oxide glass. Alternatively, the gain layer can comprise a neodymium dopant that is doped into a glassy host material other than silica.

The invention relates to rare-earth-doped ternary sulfides. The rare-earth-doped ternary sulfides may be used as an active material for mid-wave infrared and long-wave infrared lasers and amplifiers. Methods for producing laser materials including rare-earth-doped ternary sulfides, as well as lasers and amplifiers incorporating the laser materials, are also provided.

An active element slab for a laser source is presented. The active element slab includes at least one input surface of a pump beam, a first section in the shape of an elongated bar along a longitudinal axis that includes a first doped matrix configured to absorb the beam pump to amplify a laser beam travelling longitudinally, a second section that covers at least partially the first section, the second section that includes a second doped matrix configured to absorb the laser beam and of being transparent to the pump beam.

A compact laser is provided for in accordance with an exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure includes a compact resonator structure using a non-planar geometry of bulk components. The laser includes a preferred rotational direction of lasing modes and employs bulk components for establishing the preferred rotational direction of lasing modes within resonator. In some embodiments, the preferred rotational direction of lasing modes is established using a reflective element that is outside the resonator structure. In some embodiments, the reflective element induces polarization shifts in the reflected light that are compensated for by a wave plate, which may be outside the resonator structure.

A solid-state laser amplifier includes a core material providing an active gain medium. A cladding material is on the core material that is the same material as the core material that further comprises a broadband absorber material. The cladding material suppresses transverse oscillations in solid-state, single-crystal or ceramic laser amplifiers by employing a native-material, solid-state, index-matched cladding containing an appropriate broadband absorber.

An active element slab for a laser source is presented. The active element slab includes at least one input surface of a pump beam, a first section in the shape of an elongated bar along a longitudinal axis that includes a first doped matrix configured to absorb the beam pump to amplify a laser beam travelling longitudinally, a second section that covers at least partially the first section, the second section that includes a second doped matrix configured to absorb the laser beam and of being transparent to the pump beam.