Solid-state laser apparatus and laser system

• US 8,625,645 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc. (Komatsu)
• Original Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc. (Komatsu)
• Inventors: Wakabayashi, Osamu, Onose, Takashi, Ito, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Kinam
• Application Number:
  US13/671,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20130064259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 372/29.011, 372/29.014, 372/38.01, 372/41
• US Class Current: 372/29.011
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3507 Arrangements comprising two or more nonlinear optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/354 Third or higher harmonic generation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/37 for second-harmonic generation G02F1/3532 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/005 Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0092 Nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity nonlinear frequency conversion per se G02F1/35
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0602 Crystal lasers or glass lasers H01S3/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/08027 by a filter, e.g. a Fabry-Perot filter is used for wavelength setting
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0812 using a diffraction grating
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/137 for stabilising of frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/139 by controlling the mutual position or the reflecting properties of the reflectors of the cavity , e.g. by controlling the cavity length
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/22 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/2308 Amplifier arrangements, e.g. MOPA
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/2375 Hybrid lasers H01S3/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/2383 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0085 for modulating the output, i.e. the laser beam is modulated outside the laser cavity

Abstract

A solid-state laser apparatus may include: a master oscillator configured to output laser light having at least one longitudinal mode, the master oscillator being capable of changing the spectral linewidth of the laser light output therefrom; at least one amplifier located downstream of the master oscillator on an optical path; a wavelength converter located downstream of the amplifier on the optical path; a detector configured to detect the spectrum of the laser light; and a controller configured to control the spectral linewidth of the laser light output from the master oscillator based on a detection result of the detector.

Claims

1. A solid-state laser apparatus comprising:

a master oscillator configured to output laser light having at least one longitudinal mode, the master oscillator being capable of changing the spectral linewidth of the laser light output therefrom;

at least one amplifier located downstream of the master oscillator on an optical path;

a wavelength converter located downstream of the amplifier on the optical path;

a detector configured to detect a spectrum of the laser light; and

a controller configured to control the spectral linewidth of the laser light output from the master oscillator based on a detection result of the detector.

2. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the master oscillator comprises:

an optical resonator;

a gain medium arranged in the optical resonator;

a line narrowing module arranged in the optical resonator, the line narrowing module being capable of changing the spectral linewidth; and

a driver configured to drive the line narrowing module, and

the controller controls the driver to control the spectral linewidth.

3. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the gain medium comprises a Ti:

sapphire crystal.

4. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the line narrowing module comprises at least one of a birefringent filter, an etalon, and a diffraction grating.

5. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the line narrowing module comprises an etalon having an incident surface and an output surface of the laser light, at least one of the surfaces being coated with a reflective film,

the etalon is arranged to be movable in a direction different from the optical path of the laser light,

the reflectance of the reflective film varies depending on a position on the incident surface or the output surface, and

the controller controls the position of the etalon with respect to the optical path of the laser light through the driver.

6. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the master oscillator comprises:

a seed laser configured to output seed light having at least one longitudinal mode;

an optical modulator located downstream of the seed laser on the optical path; and

a driver configured to drive the optical modulator, and

the controller controls the driver to control the spectral linewidth.

7. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical modulator comprises an electro-optic element.

8. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical modulator comprises an optoacoustic element.

9. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the master oscillator comprises:

a plurality of seed lasers each configured to output seed light having at least one longitudinal mode;

an optical path adjuster configured to substantially align the optical paths of the seed light output from the seed lasers; and

a seed laser controller configured to control the seed lasers,

at least one of the seed lasers outputs seed light having a longitudinal mode with a different center wavelength from the center wavelength of the seed light output from the other seed lasers, and

the controller controls the seed laser controller to control the spectral linewidth.

10. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the seed laser controller controls output intensities of the seed lasers.

11. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the seed laser controller controls oscillation wavelengths of the seed lasers.

12. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the seed lasers are semiconductor lasers.

13. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amplifier comprises a Ti:

sapphire crystal as a gain medium.

14. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amplifier comprises an optical resonator and a gain medium arranged in the optical resonator.

15. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength converter comprises at least one nonlinear optical crystal that converts the laser light output from the master oscillator into high-order harmonic light of the laser light.

16. The solid-state laser apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one nonlinear optical crystal contains at least one of a beta barium borate (BBO) crystal, a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal, a CsLiB₆O₁₀ (CLBO) crystal, and a KBe₂BO₃F₂ (KBBF) crystal.

17. A laser system comprising:

the solid-state laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1; and

at least one amplifying apparatus located downstream of the solid-state laser apparatus on an optical path.

18. The laser system according to claim 17, wherein the detector is located downstream of the amplifying apparatus on the optical path.

19. The laser system according to claim 17, wherein the amplifying apparatus comprises a gain medium.

20. The laser system according to claim 19, wherein the amplifying apparatus comprises at least one of Kr gas, Ar gas, F₂ gas, Ne gas, and Xe gas as the gain medium.

21. The laser system according to claim 17, wherein the amplifying apparatus comprises an optical resonator and a gain medium arranged in the optical resonator.