Method for Operating a Pulsed Laser System
AssigneeDornier MedTech Laser GmbH
InventorsWerner Hiereth, Michael Rampp, Alexander Sperl
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Abstract
A method for operating a pulsed laser system includes the steps of pumping a laser resonator of the pulsed laser system by means of a pump source in order to generate operating laser pulses at an operating energy level; and coupling the operating laser pulses with a focusing element into an optical fiber. A step of cleaning the optical fiber by means of cleaning laser pulses is performed prior to generating the operating laser pulses. The laser resonator of the pulsed laser system is pumped by means of the pump source in order to generate the cleaning laser pulses at one or more cleaning energy levels between a laser threshold and the operating energy level.
Claims19
A method for operating a pulsed laser system, the method comprising the steps of:
- pumping a laser resonator of the pulsed laser system by means of a pump source in order to generate operating laser pulses at an operating energy level;
- and
- coupling the operating laser pulses with a focusing element into the optical fiber, wherein a step of cleaning the optical fiber by means of cleaning laser pulses is performed prior to generating the operating laser pulses, wherein the laser resonator of the pulsed laser system is pumped by means of the pump source in order to generate the cleaning laser pulses at one or more cleaning energy levels between a laser threshold and the operating energy level.
A pulsed laser system, comprising:
- a laser resonator with a laser rod configured to generate operating laser pulses;
- a pump source configured to provide pump energy (P) to the laser resonator;
- an optical fiber;
- a focusing element for coupling the operating laser pulses into the optical fiber;
- and
- a control unit configured to control the pump source at an operating voltage and/or operating current such that the pump energy is provided to the laser resonator at a high level for generating the operating laser pulses at an operating energy level, wherein the control unit is configured to control the pump source at one or more cleaning voltages and/or one or more cleaning currents such that the pump energy is provided to the laser resonator at one or more low levels for generating cleaning laser pulses at one or more cleaning energy levels between a laser threshold and the operating energy level for cleaning the optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.