Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser light source capable of suppressing variation in propagation state of randomly-polarized laser light. In the laser light source, an isolator including a Faraday rotation crystal having a positive thermooptic constant, and a nonlinear optical crystal having a negative thermooptic constant are arranged in order along a traveling direction of laser light. The nonlinear optical crystal is arranged in a state off normal incidence of incident light so that a propagation axis of light propagating in the crystal is parallel to an optic axis of the crystal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser light source capable of suppressing variation in propagation state of randomly-polarized laser light. In the laser light source, an isolator including a Faraday rotation crystal having a positive thermooptic constant, and a nonlinear optical crystal having a negative thermooptic constant are arranged in order along a traveling direction of laser light. The nonlinear optical crystal is arranged in a state off normal incidence of incident light so that a propagation axis of light propagating in the crystal is parallel to an optic axis of the crystal.

Abstract: There is obtained a laser processing method by which an excellent shape of a cut surface can be achieved and an increase in cost can be suppressed. A laser processing method includes the steps of: preparing a material to be processed; and forming a modified area in the material to be processed, by irradiating the material to be processed with laser beam. In the aforementioned step, pulsed laser beam having a continuous spectrum is focused with a lens, thereby forming a focusing line constituted by a plurality of focuses that are obtained by predetermined bands forming the continuous spectrum of the laser beam, and the material to be processed is irradiated with the laser beam such that at least a part of the focusing line is located on a surface of the material to be processed, thereby forming the modified area on an axis of the focusing line.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light source control method capable of decreasing the dependence of a pulse width (FWHM) of an output pulsed light on a repetition frequency. A pulsed light source has an MOPA structure, and has a seed light source and an optical fiber amplifier. The seed light source includes a semiconductor laser which is directly modulated and outputs a pulsed light. By adjusting a temperature of the seed light source and a pumping light power of the optical fiber amplifier, a predetermined full width half maximum of a pulse at a predetermined repetition frequency is implemented for the pulsed light outputted from the optical fiber amplifier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser apparatus capable of supplying laser beams from each of plural beam emitting ends constituting laser beam output ports, and realizes the overall low power consumption and low non-linearization. The laser apparatus comprises a seed light source, beam emitting ends, an intermediate optical amplifier, an optical branching device, and final-stage optical amplifiers. The number of beam emitting ends is greater than the number of seed light sources, and the final-stage optical amplifiers and the beam emitting ends correspond to each other one-on-one. The optical branching device includes an input port associated to the seed light source and plural output ports associated to the respective beam emitting ends so as to constitute a part of the light paths between the seed light source and the beam emitting ends.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light source apparatus. The light source apparatus has an MOPA configuration and comprises a seed light source, a pulse generator, an intermediate optical amplifier, a final stage optical amplifier, a delivery optical fiber, and a light output terminal. The delivery optical fiber is a PBG fiber having a photonic bandgap (PBG) structure in a core-surrounding portion located around the core. Light with a wavelength in a high loss band of the PBG fiber is inputted into the PBG fiber.

Abstract: The present invention enables simultaneous setting or automatic setting of a pulse peak and a pulse width of a light pulse. In a configuration comprising a light emitting element outputting laser light, a driving current supply section supplying a driving current to the light emitting element, a modulator applying a modulation voltage for pulse modulation of the laser light to the light emitting element, and a modulation control section controlling a modulation pattern as a pattern of pulse modulation of the modulation voltage for the modulator, the modulation control section sets a modulation voltage value in the modulation pattern based on information on a driving current value, and sends information on the modulation pattern to the modulator so that the modulation voltage reaches the set value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing method and the like which use no wavelength conversion technique by nonlinear optical crystals when selectively removing an insulating layer of a printed board, while employing only one wavelength throughout the entire removal processing. A laser processing apparatus (1), preferably used in the laser processing method, has a MOPA structure and comprises a seed light source (100), a YbDF (110), a bandpass filter (120), a YbDF (130), a bandpass filter (140), a YbDF (150), a YbDF (160), and so forth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser marking method which is capable of changing the grey level of a marking even in the case of a high processing speed. The laser marking method forms a marking pattern on a marking object by irradiating the marking object with pulsed light oscillated from a pulsed light source of a MOPA structure in which a semiconductor laser outputting directly-modulated pulsed light is used as a seed light source. At this time, the pulse duration of the pulsed light is changed in order to change a gray level of the marking pattern to be formed. In this way, a peak power of the pulsed light is changed by changing the pulse duration, so that it is possible to positively change the gray level of the marking pattern without changing the processing speed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pulse modulation method and the like having a structure for effectively suppressing nonlinear optical phenomena which increase as an optical pulse becomes wider when amplifying the optical pulse with a predetermined period as seed light. A modulator performs pulse modulation for a laser light source which is a seed light source or light outputted from the laser light source. A modulation pattern of a modulated voltage outputted from the modulator is adjusted such as to include a plurality of pulse components each having a signal width shorter than the pulse width of the optical pulse as an optical pulse generation pattern within a modulation period corresponding to a period of the optical pulse.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing method and the like provided with a structure for enabling realization of both preferable processing of locations not easily reached by laser light and effective inhibition of damage caused to locations easily reached by laser light during laser processing. Radiation optics scan locations irradiated with laser light from a laser light source while radiating laser light onto a plurality of objects arranged on a stage and the periphery thereof from a direction perpendicular to the stage. On the stage reflecting members are respectively arranged adjacent to the plurality of objects. The reflecting members reflect laser light radiated from the radiation optics towards lateral surfaces of the objects. Since laser light reflected by the reflecting members is radiated onto the lateral surfaces of the objects, laser light also reaches the lateral surfaces of the objects not easily reached by laser light without having to increase the intensity of the laser light.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser apparatus with a structure for realizing a fast response in carrying out a start and an end of output of pulsed laser light while effectively suppressing damage to an optical amplifying medium. The laser apparatus is provided with a seed light source, an optical amplification section, a pulse modulator, a pump power controller, and a main controller. The pulse modulator receives an output start instruction and an output end instruction fed from the main controller and controls a start and an end of output of seed light from the seed light source. The pump power controller receives a pump trigger signal fed from the main controller and increases or decreases a power of pump light supplied to the amplification section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser apparatus having a structure for facilitating the change of a transparent wavelength band of a bandpass filter in accordance with a central wavelength of pulsed light. In the laser apparatus, the transparent wavelength band of light to be transmitted through a BPF is changed according to the central wavelength of the pulsed light when the pulse width of the pulsed light outputted from a seed light source is changed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light source apparatus. The light source apparatus has an MOPA configuration and comprises a seed light source, a pulse generator, an intermediate optical amplifier, a final stage optical amplifier, a delivery optical fiber, and a light output terminal. The delivery optical fiber is a PBG fiber having a photonic bandgap (PBG) structure in a core-surrounding portion located around the core. Light with a wavelength in a high loss band of the PBG fiber is inputted into the PBG fiber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enabling generation of pulsed lights each having a narrow pulse width and high effective pulse energys. A pulse light source has a MOPA structure, and comprises a single semiconductor laser, a bandpass filter and an optical fiber amplifier. The single semiconductor laser outputs two or more pulsed lights separated by a predetermined interval, for each period given according to a predetermined repetition frequency. The bandpass filter attenuates one of the shorter wavelength side and the longer wavelength side, in the wavelength band of input pulsed lights.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser apparatus having a structure for easily shortening a pulse. In the laser apparatus, as a result of a phase control unit adjusting a modulation period of an external modulator and an output period of pulsed light of a seed light source, it is possible to generate pulsed light which is outputted only during a period when the modulation period and the output period overlap each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light source control method capable of decreasing the dependence of a pulse width (FWHM) of an output pulsed light on a repetition frequency. A pulsed light source has an MOPA structure, and has a seed light source and an optical fiber amplifier. The seed light source includes a semiconductor laser which is directly modulated and outputs a pulsed light. By adjusting a temperature of the seed light source and a pumping light power of the optical fiber amplifier, a predetermined full width half maximum of a pulse at a predetermined repetition frequency is implemented for the pulsed light outputted from the optical fiber amplifier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light source apparatus or the like provided with a structure that can block reflected return light also when an emitting end side of an optical isolator is a space. The light source apparatus comprises a light source section, a guide section, and an optical module. The optical module includes a collimator, an optical isolator, and an oblique-beam blocking section. The collimator outputs collimated light with a predetermined beam diameter as a forward propagating beam. The optical isolator is a polarization-independent optical isolator that introduces the collimated light from a first end and outputs this collimated light from a second end.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing method and the like having a structure for making it possible to process an object to be processed in various ways while accurately adjusting the installation state of the object. The method irradiates the object with plural adjustment laser light beams that are set in a specific positional relationship against a converging point of processing laser light beam, and adjusts the state of installation of the object while monitoring irradiation areas of the adjustment laser light beams on the surface of the object. Each irradiation directions of adjustment laser light beams is different from that of the processing laser light beam. By reflecting the irradiation condition of the adjustment laser light beam and monitored information of the irradiation areas in positional adjustment of the object, the installation state of the object can be adjusted in accordance with various kinds of processing.

Abstract: There is obtained a laser processing method by which an excellent shape of a cut surface can be achieved and an increase in cost can be suppressed. A laser processing method includes the steps of: preparing a material to be processed; and forming a modified area in the material to be processed, by irradiating the material to be processed with laser beam. In the aforementioned step, pulsed laser beam having a continuous spectrum is focused with a lens, thereby forming a focusing line constituted by a plurality of focuses that are obtained by predetermined bands forming the continuous spectrum of the laser beam, and the material to be processed is irradiated with the laser beam such that at least a part of the focusing line is located on a surface of the material to be processed, thereby forming the modified area on an axis of the focusing line.