LASER LIGHT SOURCE UNIT, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND PHOTOACOUSTIC IMAGE GENERATION DEVICE

摘要

Disclosed is a laser light source unit capable of emitting pulse laser light with desired emission intensity even at different wavelengths. When emitting pulse laser light having a wavelength of 750 nm, excitation energy of a flash lamp decreases compared to when emitting pulse laser light having a wavelength of 800 nm. Specifically, the charging time of a capacitor of a pulse generation circuit decreases compared to when emitting pulse laser light having a wavelength of 800 nm.

主权项

1. A laser light source unit which sequentially emits a plurality of beams of pulse laser light in a predetermined wavelength sequence including two or more different wavelengths, the laser light source unit comprising:
a laser rod; an excitation light source which irradiates excitation light onto the laser rod; an optical resonator which includes a pair of mirrors facing each other with the laser rod interposed therebetween; a laser light emission part for emitting pulse laser light; a wavelength switching part which is inserted inside the optical resonator and changes the oscillation wavelength of the optical resonator; an excitation light control part for controlling excitation energy supplied to the excitation light source according to the wavelength of pulse laser light to be emitted and irradiating the excitation light from the excitation light source onto the laser rod; and an emission control part for switching the oscillation wavelength by the wavelength switching part to adjust the wavelength of pulse laser light to be emitted in synchronization with the irradiation of excitation light from the excitation light source onto the laser rod and causing the laser light emission part to emit pulse laser light.