SOLID-STATE LASER DEVICE

摘要

A control circuit measures fluctuations in the energy of a pulse laser with respect to the power of an RF signal by varying the power of the RF signal, determines the minimum power of the RF signal which yields a permissible level of fluctuation, and sets the power of the RF signal based on the minimum power of the RF signal. Heat generation in the RF signal generation circuit can be suppressed, and the overall power consumption can also be reduced. It is also possible to reduce the time from when the RF signal is turned on until the RF signal is turned off. As a result, it is possible to generate a stable pulse laser.

主权项

1. A solid-state laser, comprising:
a semiconductor laser for generating an excitation laser beam; a solid-state laser medium which is excited by said excitation laser beam; a resonator formed so as to contain said solid-state medium; an acousto-optical element which is installed inside said resonator and which controls the loss of said resonator; a photodetector for detecting at least a portion of a pulse laser output from an output side mirror of said resonator; an RF signal generation circuit for generating an RF signal for said acousto-optical element; and a control circuit for maintaining the power of said RF signal at a preset prescribed value; wherein fluctuations in said pulse laser with respect to the power of the RF signal are measured by varying the power of said RF signal so that said prescribed value is set based on the minimum power of the RF signal which yields a permissible level of fluctuation.