A passively, Q-switched laser is described. The laser may operate at an eye-safe lasing wavelength of 1.34 microns and use a gain element of Nd:YVO.sub.4 and a saturable absorber element of V:YAG with a space separating the gain element and saturable absorber element. The Q-switched laser is pumped by a grating stabilized laser diode. The laser may be used in laser ranging applications.

A semiconductor laser diode is disclosed. In an embodiment a semiconductor laser diode includes a first resonator and a second resonator, the first and second resonators having parallel resonator directions along a longitudinal direction and being monolithically integrated into the semiconductor laser diode, wherein the first resonator includes at least a part of a semiconductor layer sequence having an active layer and an active region configured to be electrically pumped to generate a first light, wherein the longitudinal direction is parallel to a main extension plane of the active layer, and wherein the second resonator has an active region with a laser-active material configured to be optically pumped by at least a part of the first light to produce a second light which is partially emitted outwards from the second resonator.

A laser system having a multi-pass amplifier system which includes at least one seed source configured to output at least one seed signal having a seed signal wavelength, at least one pump source configured to output at least one pump signal, at least one multi-pass amplifier system in communication with the seed source and having at least one gain media, a first mirror, and at least a second mirror therein, the gain media device positioned between the first mirror and second mirror and configured to output at least one amplifier output signal having an output wavelength range, the first mirror and second mirror may be configured to reflect the amplifier output signal within the output wavelength range, and at least one optical system may be in communication with the amplifier system and configured to receive the amplifier output signal and output an output signal within the output wavelength range.

A laser apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an excitation light source configured to output excitation light, a laser crystal disposed on an optical path of the excitation light, a first monitor device disposed on an optical path of transmitted excitation light after having transmitted through the laser crystal to monitor the transmitted excitation light, a temperature adjustment device configured to adjust a temperature of the excitation light source to a constant temperature based on a temperature command value, and a controller configured to change the temperature command value based on a result of monitoring by the first monitor device.

A passively, Q-switched laser operating at an eye safe wavelength of between 1.2 and 1.4 microns is described. The laser may operate at a lasing wavelength of 1.34 microns and use a gain element of Nd:YVO.sub.4 and a saturable absorber element of V:YAG. The systems and methods to produce short pulses having a pulse duration less than 1 ns and high energy pulses having pulse energies greater than 2 μJ are described.

A frequency modulated, continuous wave (FMCW) laser using a microchip gain medium, an optical coupling element, and a tuning element is described. The laser may be part of a coherent laser ranging system.

The invention discloses a Raman laser apparatus including a linear cavity having a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, the linear cavity including along the first direction: a first optical component, a gain medium, a Raman medium, a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal and a second optical component. The first optical component receives an incident pumping light in the first direction. The gain medium receives the pumping light from the first optical component, and generates a first infrared base laser having a first wavelength. The Raman medium receives the first infrared base laser, and generates a second infrared base laser having a second wavelength. The LBO crystal receives the first and the second infrared base lasers, and generates a visible laser light having a third wavelength. The second optical component is configured to allow the visible laser light to be transmitted out along the first direction.

A passively, Q-switched laser operating at an eye safe wavelength of between 1.2 and 1.4 microns is described. The laser may operate at a lasing wavelength of 1.34 microns and use a gain element of Nd:YVO.sub.4 and a saturable absorber element of V:YAG. The position of the resonator axial mode spectrum relative to a gain peak of the gain element is controlled to yield desired characteristics in the laser output.

A narrow linewidth mid infrared laser, including a pumping laser diode with a fast-axis compressor and a pumping wavelength λ.sub.o; and an optical resonator arranged to receive the pumping wavelength λ.sub.o, the optical resonator including a laser crystal with a lasing wavelength λ.sub.p, a dichroic mirror, and a nonlinear crystal to generate an idler wavelength λ.sub.i.

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying laser energy having desired pulse characteristics, including a sufficiently short duration and/or a sufficiently high energy for the photomechanical treatment of skin pigmentations and pigmented lesions, both naturally-occurring (e.g., birthmarks), as well as artificial (e.g., tattoos). The laser energy may be generated with an apparatus having a resonator with the capability of switching between a modelocked pulse operating mode and an amplification operating mode. The operating modes are carried out through the application of a time-dependent bias voltage, having waveforms as described herein, to an electro-optical device positioned along the optical axis of the resonator.