Mid-infrared optically pumped unstable resonator laser

Description The invention relates to the high power, mid-IR optically pumped unstable resonator lasers and a means to produce a high-power output while maintaining a near diffraction limited beam. A diffraction limited beam is a beam in which the angular distribution of light is completely coherent; the diffraction limit is the optical systems theoretical limit. Benefits Current laser technologies go through beam quality degradation when operated at high powers. The optically pumped UR has shown it can maintain superior beam quality under these stressing conditions, consequently these lasers can be operated at or near the theoretical maximum brightness. This is extremely useful for airborne infrared countermeasures, free space optical communication and distant stand off detection for WMD and IED detection. Marketability There are a large number of applications that would directly benefit from high power mid-IR output in a nearly diffraction limited beam. These applications include countermeasures, free-space optical communication, remote sensing, laser marketing, and various medical applications