Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical module having a structure for reducing adverse contingencies such as increased number of fusion splicing points, drops in output, and higher costs associated with a greater number of optical components. The optical module comprises an amplification optical fiber, a transmission optical fiber, and a fusion splicing structure that fusion-splices the amplification optical fiber to the transmission optical fiber, in a state where a cover layer is removed at the tip portions, including the end faces, of these optical fibers. The fusion splicing structure includes a pumping light removing resin that covers directly the tip portions of the amplification optical fiber and the transmission optical fiber from which the cover layer is removed. The pumping light removing resin has a higher refractive index than a first cladding of the amplification optical fiber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus and the like having a structure for implementing at the same time both an efficient laser processing in the place where a laser beam is difficult to reach and a laser processing without damages in the place where the laser beam is easy to reach. This laser processing apparatus comprises a laser light source, an irradiation optical system applying a laser beam to an object while scanning the laser beam, a photo-detector detecting the laser beam applied from the irradiation optical system, and a control section of making switching between a continuous oscillation and a pulse oscillation of the laser beam at the laser light source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus having a structure that enables laser processing of an object even when the object has a surface formed with irregularities. The laser processing method irradiates objects, each having a cylindrical form extending in a first direction, with laser light. Here, the objects are arranged on a first plane along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The arranged objects are irradiated with first and second laser light beams in irradiation directions different from each other to the first plane. At least during when the first and second irradiation light beams are respectively emitted, irradiation positions of the first and second laser light beams to the first plane are relatively moved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus and the like having a structure for implementing at the same time both an efficient laser processing in the place where a laser beam is difficult to reach and a laser processing without damages in the place where the laser beam is easy to reach. This laser processing apparatus comprises a laser light source, an irradiation optical system applying a laser beam to an object while scanning the laser beam, a photo-detector detecting the laser beam applied from the irradiation optical system, and a control section of making switching between a continuous oscillation and a pulse oscillation of the laser beam at the laser light source.

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 invention relates to a light source apparatus having a structure for effectively suppressing a negative effect due to a nonlinear effect generated in propagation of an amplifying light, and realizing a stable operation. In the light source apparatus, light amplified in an optical amplifier fiber is emitted to the outside of the apparatus through an optical output fiber whose one end is connected to an output connecter. At this time, a part of Raman scattered light, generated in the optical output fiber, propagates toward an pumping light source through the optical amplifier fiber from the optical output fiber. An optical component having an insertion loss spectrum that attenuates the Raman scattered light but allows pumping light or light to be amplified to transmit therethrough, is provided on a propagation path of the Raman scattered light, due to the light component, the intensity of the Roman scattered light reaching the pumping light source is effectively reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of measuring backward light, which is constructed for checking, prior to laser processing, backward light that propagates backward through an isolator included in a laser processing apparatus. The present invention also relates to a laser processing method and the like. A laser processing apparatus has an optical head provided with a laser light source part, light guide, and isolator. The optical head has an emitting optical system, irradiation optical system, and light collecting optical system. The method of measuring backward light uses a photodetector to detect, from reference light introduced from a measurement light source into the optical head, the power of an optical component that has passed through the isolator, while changing the position of the measurement light source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser light source having a structure for narrowing a wavelength bandwidth of output light. The laser light source comprises, at least, a laser resonator, a pumping light source, an optical path switch device, a diffraction grating, and a total reflection mirror. The laser resonator has a light amplifying fiber for output of emission light arranged on a resonance optical path thereof. The optical path switch device has a first port and a second port on the resonance optical path of the laser resonator. The diffraction grating spectrally separates the emission light outputted from the second port. The total reflection mirror reflects a specific wavelength component out of wavelength components spectrally separated by the diffraction grating, so as to feed the specific wavelength component back to the second port.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus and the like having a structure for implementing at the same time both an efficient laser processing in the place where a laser beam is difficult to reach and a laser processing without damages in the place where the laser beam is easy to reach. This laser processing apparatus comprises a laser light source, an irradiation optical system applying a laser beam to an object while scanning the laser beam, a photo-detector detecting the laser beam applied from the irradiation optical system, and a control section of making switching between a continuous oscillation and a pulse oscillation of the laser beam at the laser light source.

Abstract: The fiber laser apparatus comprises an amplifying section for amplifying seed light by cladding-pumping, and has a structure for further using a residual component of pumping light for cladding-pumping in order to heat the object. A guiding optical fiber is provided between an amplifying optical fiber of the amplifying section and an output optical system converging the single-mode amplified seed light on the object, the guiding optical fiber serving to increase the degree of freedom in arranging the output optical system. The guiding optical fiber has a structure enabling the single-mode propagation of the amplified seed light outputted from the amplifying optical fiber and multimode propagation of the residual pumping light. Because the object is irradiated with the converged amplified seed light, while being heated with the residual pumping light outputted from the output optical system, even an object with a complex shape can be subjected to efficient laser processing.

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 an optical amplification module having a construction which effectively suppresses photodarkening, and to a laser light source including the same. The laser light source comprises a light source for outputting light to be amplified, and an optical amplification module. The optical amplification module comprises two types of optical amplification media having different rare earth element concentrations, and a pumping light source. The low concentration medium and the high concentration medium are disposed in the propagation direction of pumping light such that the population inversion of the low concentration medium is higher than that of the high concentration medium.

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 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 light source having a structure for narrowing a wavelength bandwidth of output light. The laser light source comprises, at least, a laser resonator, a pumping light source, an optical path switch device, a diffraction grating, and a total reflection mirror. The laser resonator has a light amplifying fiber for output of emission light arranged on a resonance optical path thereof. The optical path switch device has a first port and a second port on the resonance optical path of the laser resonator. The diffraction grating spectrally separates the emission light outputted from the second port. The total reflection mirror reflects a specific wavelength component out of wavelength components spectrally separated by the diffraction grating, so as to feed the specific wavelength component back to the second port.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical module having a structure for reducing adverse contingencies such as increased number of fusion splicing points, drops in output, and higher costs associated with a greater number of optical components. The optical module comprises an amplification optical fiber, a transmission optical fiber, and a fusion splicing structure that fusion-splices the amplification optical fiber to the transmission optical fiber, in a state where a cover layer is removed at the tip portions, including the end faces, of these optical fibers. The fusion splicing structure includes a pumping light removing resin that covers directly the tip portions of the amplification optical fiber and the transmission optical fiber from which the cover layer is removed. The pumping light removing resin has a higher refractive index than a first cladding of the amplification optical fiber.

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 an optical amplifier with a structure for more effectively suppressing the over/undershoot in transient responses in high-speed AGC. This optical amplifier is an optical device for amplifying signal light inputted therein, and comprises a rare-earth-element-doped optical fiber, an optical coupler, a light-receiving section, a pumping light source, and a control section. In particular, as a typical structure of the optical amplifier, the rare-earth-element-doped optical fiber has a cutoff wavelength ?c set longer than the pumping light wavelength ?p but shorter than the signal light wavelength ?s, and mainly allows a pumping light component in a fundamental mode to propagate therethrough.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser light source having a structure that has high durability to support high power output. The laser light source is an optical device that pulse-oscillates laser light and has a resonator, a rare earth element doped fiber, pumping means, Q switch means, and a condensing lens. The resonator forms a resonance optical path. A fiber is inserted on the resonance optical path and outputs radiation light by supply of pumping energy. The pumping means continuously supplies pumping energy to the fiber. The Q switch means modulates resonator loss of the resonator. The condensing lens condenses the radiation light whose spot size has been expanded and which propagates from the fiber to the Q switch means.

Abstract: An optical module for supplying pump light for amplifying to-be-amplified light includes an pump light source, optical coupling means, and an optical guide section. The optical guide section optically connects the pump light source and the optical coupling means, and propagates the pump light from the pump light source, in multi-transverse-mode. The optical coupling means output the pump light from the optical guide section in multi-transverse-mode, and at least one of (i) at least one of end faces where the optical guide section and the optical coupling means are connected, (ii) an area between the end faces, and (iii) the optical guide section, has a loss medium of which transmission loss is greater in a wavelength of the to-be-amplified light than in a wavelength of the pump light. By this, an optical module which can stably supply the pump light to the optical amplification fiber can be provided.