Multiwavelength laser source
AssigneeIntelligent Surgical Lasers
InventorsJosef F. Bille, Stuart I. Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiwavelength laser source for providing a plurality of pulsed laser beams comprises a plurality of laser diodes optically connected with an oscillator to establish a beam of pulses of monochromatic light. A dispersion line for spreading wavelengths in each pulse optically connects the oscillator to a regenerative amplifier. An electro-optical crystal in the regenerative amplifier establishes the repetition rate of pulses in the laser beam and a pulse compressor is optically connected to the regenerative amplifier to establish the duration of each pulse. The laser source may also include a frequency doubler which is optically connected to the output of the pulse compressor to split the laser beam into components having different wavelengths.
Claims22
A laser apparatus which comprises:
- an oscillator optically pumped by a laser diode for establishing a beam comprising a plurality of pulses of monochromatic light;
- a dispersion line for spreading wavelengths in said pulses and being optically connected to said oscillator to receive said pulses;
- a regenerative amplifier for amplifying said pulses and being optically connected to said dispersion line;
- and
- a pulse compressor optically connected to said regenerative amplifier for establishing a pulse duration for said beam.
A multiwavelength laser apparatus which comprises:
- means including an active medium for originating a beam of light-frequency radiation pulses having a plurality of discrete wavelengths;
- means for spreading the wavelengths of said light-frequency radiation pulses, said spreading means optically connected to said originating means;
- means for setting the repetition rate of said light-frequency radiation pulses, said setting means being optically connected to said spreading means;
- and
- means for establishing the duration of each of said pulses, said duration establishing means being optically connected to said setting means such that a laser beam of compressed pulses is generated.
a method for generating a laser beam of compressed pulses which comprises the steps of:
- (A) Directing monochromatic light through a mode locker to generate a beam of light-frequency radiation pulses;
- (B) Spreading the wavelengths of the light within each of said pulses for subsequent compression thereof;
- (C) Setting the repetition rate of said light-frequency radiation pulses to reduce the quiescent interval between said pulses;
- and
- (D) Compressing said beam by establishing the duration of each of said light-frequency radiation pulses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.