The invention relates to a supercontinuum light source comprising a microstructured optical fiber and a pump light source. The microstructured optical fiber comprises a core and a cladding region surrounding the core, as well as a first fiber length section, a second fiber length section and an intermediate fiber length section between said first and second fiber length sections. The first fiber length section comprises a core with a first characteristic core diameter. The second fiber length section comprises a core with a second characteristic core diameter, smaller than said first characteristic core diameter, where said second characteristic core diameter is substantially constant along said second fiber length section. The intermediate length section of the optical fiber comprises a core which is tapered from said first characteristic core diameter to said second characteristic core diameter over a tapered length.

Technologies pertaining to accounting for pulse history effects are described herein. In connection with accounting for pulse history effects, an amount of time between a first current pulse and a second current pulse that are to be transmitted to a pulsed laser is determined. Based upon such an amount of time, a determination is made as to whether a porch pulse is to be prepended to the second current pulse. When the porch pulse is to be prepended to the second current pulse, an amplitude and duration of the porch pulse are computed based upon the amount of time. The porch pulse is transmitted to the pulsed laser immediately followed by the second current pulse, wherein the porch pulse pre-charges the pulsed laser for emitting a pulse of light based upon the second current pulse.

Technologies pertaining to accounting for pulse history effects are described herein. In connection with accounting for pulse history effects, an amount of time between a first current pulse and a second current pulse that are to be transmitted to a pulsed laser is determined. Based upon such an amount of time, a determination is made as to whether a porch pulse is to be prepended to the second current pulse. When the porch pulse is to be prepended to the second current pulse, an amplitude and duration of the porch pulse are computed based upon the amount of time. The porch pulse is transmitted to the pulsed laser immediately followed by the second current pulse, wherein the porch pulse pre-charges the pulsed laser for emitting a pulse of light based upon the second current pulse.

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying laser energy having desired pulse characteristics, including a sufficiently short duration and/or a sufficiently high energy for the photomechanical treatment of skin pigmentations and pigmented lesions, both naturally-occurring (e.g., birthmarks), as well as artificial (e.g., tattoos). The laser energy may be generated with an apparatus having a resonator with a sub-nanosecond round trip time.

A swept light source of the present invention keeps a coherence length of an output beam long over an entire sweep wavelength range. A gain of a gain medium is changed with time in response to a wavelength sweep and the coherence length is kept maximum. The gain of the gain medium is kept close to a lasing threshold and an unsaturated gain range of the gain medium is narrowed over the entire sweep wavelength range. An SOA current waveform data acquiring method of driving while keeping the coherence length long, a novel coherence length measuring method, and an optical deflector suitable for the swept light source are also disclosed.

A swept light source of the present invention keeps a coherence length of an output beam long over an entire sweep wavelength range. A gain of a gain medium is changed with time in response to a wavelength sweep and the coherence length is kept maximum. The gain of the gain medium is kept close to a lasing threshold and an unsaturated gain range of the gain medium is narrowed over the entire sweep wavelength range. An SOA current waveform data acquiring method of driving while keeping the coherence length long, a novel coherence length measuring method, and an optical deflector suitable for the swept light source are also disclosed.

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 system for generating laser sustained broadband light includes a pump source configured to generate a pumping beam, a gas containment structure for containing a gas and a multi-pass optical assembly. The multi-pass optical assembly includes one or more optical elements configured to perform a plurality of passes of the pumping beam through a portion of the gas to sustain a broadband-light-emitting plasma. The one or more optical elements are arranged to collect an unabsorbed portion of the pumping beam transmitted through the plasma and direct the collected unabsorbed portion of the pumping beam back into the portion of the gas.

Disclosed are system and methods for a laser system comprising at least one laser, a processor, and a user interface. The processor can receive a range for at least one setting of the at least one laser that the at least one laser can operate within. The processor can further determine a proposed updated value for the at least one setting and determine that the proposed updated value is within the range. An indication of the proposed updated value and an option for a user to accept or reject the proposed updated value can be provided on a user interface. Responsive to an acceptance the at least one setting can be adjusted based on the proposed updated value. Responsive to no rejection within a predetermined period of time, the processor can cause the at least one setting to be adjusted or cancel adjustment of the at least one setting.

Disclosed are system and methods for a laser system comprising at least one laser, a processor, and a user interface. The processor can receive a range for at least one setting of the at least one laser that the at least one laser can operate within. The processor can further determine a proposed updated value for the at least one setting and determine that the proposed updated value is within the range. An indication of the proposed updated value and an option for a user to accept or reject the proposed updated value can be provided on a user interface. Responsive to an acceptance the at least one setting can be adjusted based on the proposed updated value. Responsive to no rejection within a predetermined period of time, the processor can cause the at least one setting to be adjusted or cancel adjustment of the at least one setting.