Importance

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Abstract

A planar unidirectional solid state laser is realized in non-birefringent (isotropic or cubic) material by inducing a reciprocal polarization rotation along a lasing path within the material through a mechanical stress or by modifying the material to change the index of refraction along the lasing path. Together with means for providing nonreciprocal polarization rotation, such as with the Faraday Effect, the invention enables construction of unidirectional lasers, and more specifically thick film, single-frequency CW or Q-switched tunable ring lasers, with the advantage of both flat and ring structures. A variable-output coupled solid state ring laser employing an evanescent wave output coupling in the form of a prism is also described.

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First Claim