Laser apparatus and method of controlling the same

摘要

A laser apparatus employing a semiconductor laser or the like, and a method of controlling the laser apparatus capable of controlling an driving a temperature control unit on the basis of the sum of the respective power consumptions of the temperature control unit and a driving means so that the laser apparatus operates at a minimum power consumption. The temperature control unit included in a laser oscillator heats or cools a nonlinear optical medium, a temperature detecting means detects the temperature of the nonlinear optical medium, a power consumption detecting unit detects the respective power consumptions of the temperature control unit and the driving means, and a processing means controls and drives the temperature control unit on the basis of the sum of the respective power consumptions of the temperature control unit and the driving means.