Laser oscillating apparatus and method of driving a laser beam source

摘要

The present invention relates to a laser oscillating apparatus (1000) using a semiconductor laser (100) or the like and a method of driving a laser beam source (100). The present invention relates particularly to a laser oscillating apparatus (1000) or the like having a nonlinear optical medium (400) for generating a second harmonic and capable of by-pulse driving a laser beam source with high efficiency. In the laser oscillating apparatus, an optical resonator is composed of at least a laser crystal (300) and an output mirror (500). The nonlinear optical medium (400) for generating the second harmonic is inserted into the optical resonator. The laser beam source (100) can effect pumping on the optical resonator so that the period T of a drive pulse produced from a pulse driving means (600) satisfies a relation in tau FL > T - tau with respect to tau FL (life of fluorescence). Further, a first pulse can drive the laser beam source (100) with the degree of not leading to the emission of a laser beam and a second pulse can drive the laser beam source (100) so that the laser beam source (100) produces the laser beam.