Uv laser marker

A UV laser marker comprising:

• an excitation light generation section configured to generate excitation light;
• a laser light generation section including a nonlinear optical crystal and configured to generate UV laser light on a basis of the nonlinear optical crystal and the excitation light generated by the excitation light generation section;
• a coupling section configured to optically couple the excitation light generation section and the laser light generation section;
• a laser light scanning section configured to two-dimensionally scan the UV laser light generated by the laser light generation section and irradiate a printing object with the UV laser light;
• a print head configured to incorporate the excitation light generation section, the laser light generation section, the coupling section, and the laser light scanning section;
• and
• a printing controller electrically connected to the print head and including a control section configured to control the excitation light generation section, the laser light generation section, and the laser light scanning section,
• wherein the print head includes:
• a distance measurement light generation section configured to generate and emit distance measurement light for measuring a distance from the print head to a surface of the printing object;
• a merging mechanism configured to merge the distance measurement light generated by the distance measurement light generation section with a laser optical path of the UV laser light generated by the laser light generation section and reaching the laser light scanning section;
• and
• a distance measurement light receiving section configured to receive distance measurement light that merges in the merging mechanism and is two-dimensionally scanned via the laser light scanning section, the distance measurement light being reflected on the surface of the printing object, returned via the laser light scanning section, and separated from the laser optical path by the merging mechanism, and
• the printing controller includes a distance measurement section configured to measure a distance from the print head to the surface of the printing object on a basis of a light receiving position of the distance measurement light received by the distance measurement light receiving section.