Abstract: A depolarizing homogenizer including one or more lenslet arrays, for providing a plurality of beamlets associated with different respective parts of a received beam. The depolarizing homogenizer includes a depolarizer comprising different areas which affect polarization differently, the depolarizer being positioned to cause alteration of the polarization characteristics of at least some of the plurality of beamlets. A lens is arranged to at least partially overlap the beamlets having the altered polarization characteristics.

Abstract: A depolarizing homogenizer including one or more lenslet arrays, for providing a plurality of beamlets associated with different respective parts of a received beam. The depolarizing homogenizer includes a depolarizer comprising different areas which affect polarization differently, the depolarizer being positioned to cause alteration of the polarization characteristics of at least some of the plurality of beamlets. A lens is arranged to at least partially overlap the beamlets having the altered polarization characteristics.

Abstract: The disclosed method and handheld analyzer of elemental concentration measurement is based on spectral analysis of high temperature highly ionized plasma generated by laser-generated pulses. Due to a high pulse energy and short pulse duration, high intensity singly and multiply charged ion lines in addition to neutral atomic lines are excited. The pulsed laser source of the disclosed analyzer is configured to output a train of pulses of signal light at a 1.5-1.6 signal wavelength at a pulse repetition rate from 0.1 to 50 kHz, pulses duration from 0.01 to 1.5 ns, pulse energy between 100 and 1000 uJ and has a beam spot on the surface of the sample varying 1 to 60 ?m. The above-described parameters provide at least a 20 GW/cm2 laser power density sufficient to induce a high temperature, highly ionized plasma (plasma) which allows measuring the carbon concentration in carbon steels by employing doubly charged ionic line CII with a detection limit down to 0.

Abstract: A method for sum-frequency conversion of coherent radiation includes generating two linearly polarized waves at different first f1 and second f2 frequencies (f2>f1), respectively, which coaxially propagate and are characterized in common case by arbitrarily located polarization planes. The waves are further guided through an optical active crystal which rotates their polarization planes at different angles ?1 and ?2 determined as ?1=?(f1)·L and ?2=?(f2)·L, where L is a length of the optical active crystal, and ?(f1) and ?(f2) specific rotations at respective frequencies f1 and f2. Finally the waves with the rotated polarization planes are incident on a non-linear crystal configured to generate a third frequency.

Abstract: The present application is directed to an apparatus and method for the automated compensation of dispersion over a broad wavelength range for coherent optical pulses. In one embodiment, the present application discloses an automatic dispersion compensating optical apparatus configured to change chirp introduced into an optical signal by an optical system in optical communication with the dispersion compensating optical apparatus and includes at least one wavelength-tunable source of coherent optical pulses configured to output at least one optical signal, at least one dispersion compensation device configured to receive the optical signal from the coherent source, and at least one controller in communication with the dispersion compensation device and configured to adjust chirp introduced into the optical signal by the dispersion compensation device as the wavelength of the optical signal is varied.

Abstract: The present application is directed to an apparatus and method for the automated compensation of dispersion over a broad wavelength range for coherent optical pulses. In one embodiment, the present application discloses an automatic dispersion compensating optical apparatus configured to change chirp introduced into an optical signal by an optical system in optical communication with the dispersion compensating optical apparatus and includes at least one wavelength-tunable source of coherent optical pulses configured to output at least one optical signal, at least one dispersion compensation device configured to receive the optical signal from the coherent source, and at least one controller in communication with the dispersion compensation device and configured to adjust chirp introduced into the optical signal by the dispersion compensation device as the wavelength of the optical signal is varied.

Abstract: The present application is directed to an apparatus and method for the automated compensation of dispersion over a broad wavelength range for coherent optical pulses. In one embodiment, the present application discloses an automatic dispersion compensating optical apparatus configured to change chirp introduced into an optical signal by an optical system in optical communication with the dispersion compensating optical apparatus and includes at least one wavelength-tunable source of coherent optical pulses configured to output at least one optical signal, at least one dispersion compensation device configured to receive the optical signal from the coherent source, and at least one controller in communication with the dispersion compensation device and configured to adjust chirp introduced into the optical signal by the dispersion compensation device as the wavelength of the optical signal is varied.