Method for changing a wavelength of a laser light
AssigneeJapan Atomic Energy Research Institute
InventorsHiromitsu Kiriyama, Yoichiro Maruyama, Takashi Arisawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The efficiency of wavelength conversion of laser light can be improved by allowing incident laser light to pass through nonlinear optical crystals a multiple of times. In converting the wavelength of laser light to generate second- and higher harmonic waves, a returning mirror, a polarizer and nonlinear optical crystals are combined and the rotation of polarized light is utilized to allow the incident laser light to undergo multiple passes through the nonlinear optical crystals so that it can be converted in wavelength with higher efficiency.
Claims8
A method for converting the wavelength of laser light to generate higher harmonic waves in a system for higher harmonic wave generation having a first and a second nonlinear optical crystals such that their optical axis (e-axis) are perpendicular to each other, a polarizer, a first and a second returning mirrors, a total reflection mirror, a half-wavelength plate and a quarter-wave plate, comprising:
- passing incident laser light of a fundamental wave through the polarizer onto the first returning mirror;
- passing the laser light reflected from the first returning mirror through the half-wavelength plate into the first optical crystal;
- passing the reflected laser light through the first optical crystal to convert the wavelength of the laser light;
- passing the laser light of the converted wavelength through the second optical crystal without converting the wavelength thereof to obtain a second-harmonic wave;
- passing the portion of the reflected laser light, which is not converted in the wavelength thereof in the first optical crystal, through the second optical crystal to convert the wavelength of the laser light and obtain a second-harmonic wave;
- and
- forming an enhanced second harmonic light through the quarter-wave plate and the second returning mirror.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.