Multi-pulse light source and multi-pulse light generation method

A multi-pulse light source, comprising:

• a pulse light source configured to generate pulse light capable of being separated into a plurality of wavelength components different in a central wavelength;
• a delay application unit configured to apply a different delay for each wavelength component with respect to the plurality of wavelength components;
• and
• a dispersion compensation unit configured to compensate dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the plurality of wavelength components,
• wherein the dispersion compensation unit includes,
• a spectroscopic element configured to spectrally separate the plurality of wavelength components into respective wavelength components,
• a separation optical element provided upstream or downstream of the spectroscopic element and configured to guide a first wavelength component group including one or more wavelength components among the plurality of wavelength components, and a second wavelength component group including one or more wavelength components different from the one or more wavelength components included in the first wavelength component group among the plurality of wavelength components to optical paths different from each other, and
• a spatial light modulator including a first modulation region on which the first wavelength component group is incident and configured to modulate for compensating dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the first wavelength component group, and a second modulation region on which the second wavelength component group is incident and configured to modulate for compensating dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the second wavelength component group, and
• the first modulation region and the second modulation region are aligned along a direction intersecting spectral directions of the first wavelength component group and the second wavelength component group when being incident on the first modulation region and the second modulation region, respectively.

A multi-pulse light generation method, comprising:

• a pulse light generation step of generating pulse light capable of being separated into a plurality of wavelength components different in a central wavelength;
• a delay application step of applying a different delay for each wavelength component with respect to the plurality of wavelength components;
• and
• a dispersion compensation step of compensating dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the plurality of wavelength components before or after the delay application step,
• wherein the dispersion compensation step includes,
• a spectroscopic step of spectrally separating the plurality of wavelength components into respective wavelength components,
• a separation step of guiding a first wavelength component group including one or more wavelength components among the plurality of wavelength components, and a second wavelength component group including one or more wavelength components different from the one or more wavelength components included in the first wavelength component group among the plurality of wavelength components to optical paths different from each other before or after the spectroscopic step, and
• a modulation step of performing modulation for compensating dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the first wavelength component group in a first spatial light modulator including a first modulation region on which the first wavelength component group is incident, and of performing modulation for compensating dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the second wavelength component group in a second spatial light modulator including a second modulation region on which the second wavelength component group is incident.

A multi-pulse light generation method, comprising:

• a pulse light generation step of generating pulse light capable of being separated into a plurality of wavelength components different in central wavelength;
• a delay application step of applying a different delay for each wavelength component with respect to the plurality of wavelength components;
• and
• a dispersion compensation step of compensating dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the plurality of wavelength components before or after the delay application step,
• wherein the dispersion compensation step includes,
• a spectroscopic step of spectrally separating the plurality of wavelength components into respective wavelength components,
• a separation step of guiding a first wavelength component group including one or more wavelength components among the plurality of wavelength components, and a second wavelength component group including one or more wavelength components different from the one or more wavelength components included in the first wavelength component group among the plurality of wavelength components to optical paths different from each other before or after the spectroscopic step, and
• a modulation step of performing modulation for compensating dispersion for each wavelength component with respect to the first wavelength component group and the second wavelength component group in a spatial light modulator that includes a first modulation region on which the first wavelength component group is incident and a second modulation region on which the second wavelength component group is incident, and in which the first modulation region and the second modulation region are aligned along a direction intersecting spectral directions of the first wavelength component group and the second wavelength component group when being incident on the first modulation region and the second modulation region.