Three-color coherent light system

• US 5,740,190 A
• Filed: 05/23/1996
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Laser Light Engines, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Schwartz Electro-Optics Incorporated
• Inventors: Moulton, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Jr., Leon
• Application Number:
  US08/652,098
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 372/22, 372/23, 359/328, 359/330
• US Class Current: 372/23
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3532 Arrangements of plural nonlinear devices for generating multi-colour light beams, e.g. arrangements of SHG, SFG, OPO devices for generating RGB light beams

Abstract

A three-color coherent light system includes a laser source for generating a laser beam in the 1000-1100 nm wavelength region; means, responsive to the laser source, for generating the second harmonic of the laser beam; an optical parametric oscillator for providing a signal beam and an idler beam; means for splitting the second harmonic of the laser beam into a first beam for providing a source of coherent green light and a second beam for pumping the optical parametric oscillator to produce the signal and idler beams; means for generating the second harmonic of the signal beam as a source of coherent blue light; and means for generating the second harmonic of the idler beam as a source of coherent red light.

Claims

1. A three-color coherent light system comprising:

a laser source for generating a laser beam in the 1000-1100 nm wavelength region;

means, responsive to said laser source, for generating a second harmonic of said laser beam;

an optical parametric oscillator for providing a signal beam and an idler beam;

means for splitting said second harmonic of said laser beam into a first beam for providing a source of coherent green light and a second beam for pumping said optical parametric oscillator to produce said signal and idler beams;

means for generating the second harmonic of said signal beam as a source of coherent blue light; and

means for generating the second harmonic of said idler beam as a source of coherent red light.

2. The three-color coherent light system of claim 1 in which said laser source includes a solid state laser.

3. The three-color coherent light system of claim 2 in which said laser is Nd:

YAG.

4. The three-color coherent light system of claim 2 in which said laser is Nd:

YVO₄.

5. The three-color coherent light system of claim 2 in which said laser is Nd:

YLF.

6. The three-color coherent light system of claim 1 in which said optical parametric oscillator includes a nonlinear LBO crystal.

7. The three-color coherent light system of claim 1 in which said optical parametric oscillator includes a nonlinear KTP crystal or an isomorph of KTP.

8. A three-color coherent light system comprising:

a laser source including a first laser for generating a first coherent green laser beam and a second laser for generating a second laser beam in the 1000-1100 nm wavelength region;

means, responsive to said second laser, for generating the second harmonic of said second laser beam;

an optical parametric oscillator, responsive to the second harmonic of said second laser beam, for providing a signal beam and an idler beam;

means for generating the second harmonic of said signal beam as a source of coherent blue light; and

means for generating the second harmonic of said idler beam as a source of coherent red light.

9. The three-color coherent light system of claim 8 in which said first and second lasers are solid state lasers.

10. The three-color coherent light system of claim 9 in which said first and second lasers are Nd:

YAG.

11. The three-color coherent light system of claim 9 in which said first and second lasers are Nd:

YVO₄.

12. The three-color coherent light system of claim 9 in which said first and second lasers are Nd:

YLF.

13. The three-color coherent light system of claim 8 in which said optical parametric oscillator includes a nonlinear LBO crystal.

14. The three-color coherent light system of claim 8 in which said optical parametric oscillator includes a nonlinear KTP crystal or an isomorph of KTP.

15. A three-color coherent light system comprising:

an optical parametric oscillator for providing a signal beam and an idler beam;

means for providing a first laser beam as a source of coherent green light and a second laser beam for pumping said optical parametric oscillator to produce said signal and idler beams;

means for generating the second harmonic of said signal beam as a source of coherent blue light; and

means for generating the second harmonic of said idler beam as a source of coherent red light.

16. The three-color coherent light system of claim 15 in which said means for providing said first and second laser beams includes first and second lasers, respectively.

17. The three-color coherent light system of claim 15 in which said means for providing said first and second laser beams includes a laser for providing an initial laser beam, means for generating the second harmonic of said initial laser beam, and means for splitting said second harmonic of said initial laser beam for providing said first and second laser beams.

18. The three-color coherent light system of claim 17 in which said laser operates in the region of 1000-1100 nm.