A laser resonator includes a gain medium that produces light from pump energy and a variable light attenuator, which receives light and emits either (i) a first light including a continuous series of micropulses, or (ii) a second light including a series of macropulses at spaced time intervals, where each macropulse includes a series of micropulses. Each micropulse has a duration of 0.1 to 10 microseconds, and a duration of each macropulse is less than the time interval between each macropulse, and the micropulses have a frequency of 5 kHz to 40 kHz.

Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying an isotope of interest by generating an optical beam with a specific frequency; applying an acoustic wave to an acousto-optic device to induce a frequency shift in the optical beam; directing the frequency-shifted optical beam onto the sample; adjusting the frequency of the acoustic wave to match the energy level transition of the isotope; exciting the isotope to a higher energy level through absorption of the frequency-shifted optical beam; and detecting the resulting energy level transition of the isotope.

The present application discloses a cavity dumped low repetition rate infrared tunable femtosecond laser source configured to produce pulses of 200 femtoseconds or less with a peak power of four megawatts or more for use in a variety of applications including multi-photon microscopy.

A femtosecond pulse laser apparatus includes a pump light source configured to provide a pump light, a gain medium configured to obtain a gain of a laser light using the pump light, a first curved mirror and a second curved mirror, which are provided at both sides of the gain medium, an output mirror configured to transmit a portion of the laser light and reflect the other portion of the laser light to the gain medium, a mode locking portion configured to generate a femtosecond pulse of the laser light, and an acoustic wave generator configured to provide an acoustic wave into the gain medium so as to adjust self-phase modulation of the laser light.

A high repetition rate pulse laser including a linear cavity having a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction is disclosed. The pulse laser includes, along the first direction, a first optical component, a gain and Raman medium, an acousto-optic crystal, a first lithium triborate (LBO) crystal and a second optical component. The first optical component allows a pumping light incident in the first direction to transmit therethrough. The gain and Raman medium receives the pumping light from the first optical component, and generates a first infrared base laser light having a first wavelength and a second infrared base laser light having a second wavelength. The acousto-optic crystal receives a radio frequency control signal from a radio frequency controller, wherein the radio frequency control signal has a signal period including a low level period and a high level period.

A laser apparatus, a measurement apparatus, and a measurement method are provided in which the laser apparatus outputs a frequency-modulated laser beam with a plurality of modes and includes: an optical cavity that has a gain medium for amplifying a light to be input, and an optical SSB modulator for shifting a frequency of the light amplified by the gain medium: and a control part that controls the optical SSB modulator to shift a frequency of a light to be input to the optical SSB modulator.

A beam positioner includes a first acousto-optic (AO) deflector (AOD) comprising an AO cell and a transducer attached to the AO cell, and a wave plate optically contacted to the first AOD.

A high repetition rate pulse laser including a linear cavity having a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction is disclosed. The pulse laser includes, along the first direction, a first optical component, a gain and Raman medium, an acousto-optic crystal, a first lithium triborate (LBO) crystal and a second optical component. The first optical component allows a pumping light incident in the first direction to transmit therethrough. The gain and Raman medium receives the pumping light from the first optical component, and generates a first infrared base laser light having a first wavelength and a second infrared base laser light having a second wavelength. The acousto-optic crystal receives a radio frequency control signal from a radio frequency controller, wherein the radio frequency control signal has a signal period including a low level period and a high level period.

A beam positioner can be broadly characterized as including a first acousto-optic (AO) deflector (AOD) operative to diffract an incident beam of linearly polarized laser light, wherein the first AOD has a first diffraction axis and wherein the first AOD is oriented such that the first diffraction axis has a predetermined spatial relationship with the plane of polarization of the linearly polarized laser light. The beam positioner can include at least one phase-shifting reflector arranged within a beam path along which light is propagatable from the first AOD. The at least one phase-shifting reflector can be configured and oriented to rotate the plane of polarization of light diffracted by the first AOD.

A semiconductor laser tuned with an acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may generate standing waves or traveling waves. When traveling waves are used, a second acousto-optic modulator may be used in a reverse orientation to cancel out a chirp created in the first acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may be used with standing-wave laser resonators or ring lasers.