pumplaser

A pumplaser, also known as a pump laser or simply a pump, is a laser used to energize a gain medium within another laser system. The pump laser provides the necessary optical energy to excite the atoms or molecules within the gain medium to a higher energy state, enabling them to emit photons and sustain laser oscillation. This process is fundamental to the operation of many types of lasers, particularly solid-state lasers, fiber lasers, and semiconductor lasers.

There are various types of pump lasers, each suited for different applications and gain media. Diode lasers are a very common and efficient pump source, especially for solid-state and fiber lasers, due to their compact size, high power, and spectral tunability. Other pump sources can include other types of lasers, such as gas lasers or even flashlamps, though these are less common in modern laser designs. The wavelength of the pump laser is crucial, as it must be absorbed by the gain medium to effectively transfer energy. The power of the pump laser directly influences the output power of the laser it is pumping. Understanding the interaction between the pump laser and the gain medium is essential for designing and optimizing laser systems.