Abstract: A vehicle sun visor includes an L-shaped rod fixed to the vehicle and a screen rotatably mounted on and slidable on the rod along a sliding direction parallel to a longitudinal axle thereof. The sun visor includes a detent clip coupled to the rod to establish controlled and stable predefined rotational positions of the screen defining at least a first screening position and an inoperative position. The visor further includes a carrier rotatably attached to the rod and housed in a guiding profile of the screen such that the screen is movable between two end positions of the sliding movement of the screen along the rod, defining two end positions. The carrier includes a rotary slider, a floating slider, and a metal spring elastically coupling the floating and rotary sliders. The carrier includes a first retention component engageable with a second retention component in the screen at one of the end positions.

Abstract: A sun visor includes a screen slidably mounted over a shaft attachable to a vehicle. A guiding profile is mounted in the screen, and a slider is rotatably mounted over the shaft and housed inside the guiding profile such that the guiding profile can slide longitudinally over the slider to establish a slide on rod function for the sun visor. A detent spring clip is attached to the slider and engages elastically over the shaft of the sun visor such that upon rotation of the screen of the sun visor, it is possible to establish a shading position and an inoperative position for the sun visor. The detent spring clip includes an asymmetrical shape to fit to an asymmetrical core shape of the slider in a single position. The slider includes an asymmetrical external shape to fit to an asymmetrical internal shape of the guiding profile in a single position. The guiding profile includes an asymmetrical external shape to fit to an internal shape of the screen in a single position.

Abstract: A vehicle sun visor includes an L-shaped rod fixed to the vehicle and a screen rotatably mounted on and slidable on the rod along a sliding direction parallel to a longitudinal axle thereof. The sun visor includes a detent clip coupled to the rod to establish controlled and stable predefined rotational positions of the screen defining at least a first screening position and an inoperative position. The visor further includes a carrier rotatably attached to the rod and housed in a guiding profile of the screen such that the screen is movable between two end positions of the sliding movement of the screen along the rod, defining two end positions. The carrier includes a rotary slider, a floating slider, and a metal spring elastically coupling the floating and rotary sliders. The carrier includes a first retention component engageable with a second retention component in the screen at one of the end positions.

Abstract: A frequency converter system includes a source that emits a beam having a wide spectral band; and a frequency conversion cell including 1) a birefringent nonlinear crystal having a first phase-matching wavelength, with an input face that receives the beam, an output face that emits at least one frequency-converted beam, and at least two parallel faces different from the input and output faces; 2) means for applying an external mechanical force to at least one of said two parallel faces, resulting in a variation in the birefringence of the nonlinear crystal, the value of the applied external mechanical force being determined so as to obtain phase matching at a second phase-matching wavelength different from the first phase-matching wavelength; and 3) means for adjusting the external mechanical force for wavelength tunability in the frequency conversion cell.

Abstract: A sun visor includes a screen slidably mounted over a shaft attachable to a vehicle. A guiding profile is mounted in the screen, and a slider is rotatably mounted over the shaft and housed inside the guiding profile such that the guiding profile can slide longitudinally over the slider to establish a slide on rod function for the sun visor. A detent spring clip is attached to the slider and engages elastically over the shaft of the sun visor such that upon rotation of the screen of the sun visor, it is possible to establish a shading position and an inoperative position for the sun visor. The detent spring clip includes an asymmetrical shape to fit to an asymmetrical core shape of the slider in a single position. The slider includes an asymmetrical external shape to fit to an asymmetrical internal shape of the guiding profile in a single position. The guiding profile includes an asymmetrical external shape to fit to an internal shape of the screen in a single position.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the invention relates to a frequency conversion cell (10) comprising: a birefringent nonlinear crystal (12) characterized by a first phase-matching wavelength, having an input face (121A) for receiving at least one incident beam, an output face (121B) for emitting at least one frequency-converted beam, and at least two parallel faces (120A, 120B) different from the input and output faces; means (14, 14A) for applying an external mechanical force to at least one of said parallel faces (120A), called a force application face, resulting in a variation in the birefringence of the nonlinear crystal, the value of the applied external mechanical force being determined so as to obtain phase matching in the nonlinear crystal at a second phase-matching wavelength different from the first phase-matching wavelength.

Abstract: An ultra-short high-power light pulse source including a first laser pump source (1), a mode-locked laser oscillator (2), a second laser pump source (4), a waveguide (6) capable of inserting spectral phases into the light pulses, and a compressor (8) capable of generating predetermined spectral phases into the light pulses. The waveguide (6) includes an element capable of compensating the predetermined spectral phases generated at least by the compressor (8), the second laser pump source (4) being capable of delivering a second pump light flow (5) having a power PL such that the spectral phases generated by the wave guide (6) are opposed or quasi opposed to the predetermined spectral phases generated by the compressor (8) in order to generate compressed ultra-short light pulses (9) at the output of the compressor (8) with a planar or quasi planar spectral phase.

Abstract: A a pulsed laser (10) with an optical fibre and frequency shifting for amplifying high-energy sub-picosecond pulses, includes an oscillator (1), a fibre stretcher (3), one or more preamplification stages and one power amplification stage including an erbium doped or erbium-ytterbium codoped optical fibre section (4, 7), a pump (8) suitable for optically pumping by coupling in the optical fibre of the power amplifier (7) and a compressor (9). According to the invention, the pump (8) of the power stage generates at least one pump wavelength ?P between 1530 and 1565 nm, the laser pulse emission wavelength (20) is between 1565 and 1625 nm and the energy of the laser pulses (20) is between 10 nJ and several dozen ?J. A tool for eye surgery including such a laser is also described.

Abstract: An ultra-short high-power light pulse source including a first laser pump source (1), a mode-locked laser oscillator (2), a second laser pump source (4), a waveguide (6) capable of inserting spectral phases into the light pulses, and a compressor (8) capable of generating predetermined spectral phases into the light pulses. The waveguide (6) includes an element capable of compensating the predetermined spectral phases generated at least by the compressor (8), the second laser pump source (4) being capable of delivering a second pump light flow (5) having a power PL such that the spectral phases generated by the wave guide (6) are opposed or quasi opposed to the predetermined spectral phases generated by the compressor (8) in order to generate compressed ultra-short light pulses (9) at the output of the compressor (8) with a planar or quasi planar spectral phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-pass three-dimensional amplifier structure in which a beam of light traverses an amplifier medium multiple times via distinct multiple paths. The distribution of the multiple paths being such that the volume occupied by the multiple paths inside the amplifier medium substantially overlaps with the volume of the amplifier medium being optically pumped by an optical pump beam. The distribution of the optical paths is such that no more than two of the multiple paths lie in a same plane. The astigmatism induced by anisotropic amplifying crystals is self-compensated by aligning the crystallographic axes of the amplifying crystal at a 45° angle to the longitudinal axis of the redirecting means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-pass three-dimensional amplifier structure in which a beam of light traverses an amplifier medium multiple times via distinct multiple paths. The distribution of the multiple paths being such that the volume occupied by the multiple paths inside the amplifier medium substantially overlaps with the volume of the amplifier medium being optically pumped by an optical pump beam. The distribution of the optical paths is such that no more than two of the multiple paths lie in a same plane. The astigmatism induced by anisotropic amplifying crystals is self-compensated by aligning the crystallographic axes of the amplifying crystal at a 45° angle to the longitudinal axis of the redirecting means.

Abstract: Laser type source of coherent luminous radiation including a resonant cavity, an amplification medium placed in the resonant cavity and a dynamic photosensitive material which is placed in the resonant cavity to form a self-adapting spectral and/or spatial filter, characterized in that the cavity is a ring laser cavity and in that the dynamic photosensitive material is placed at the intersection of two beams.

Abstract: A multi-pass three-dimensional amplifier structure in which a beam to be amplified traverses an amplifier medium multiple times through distinct multiple paths. The distribution of the multiple paths being such that the volume occupied by said multiple paths inside the amplifier medium substantially overlaps with the volume of the amplifier medium being optically pumped by an optical pump beam. Also, the distribution of said optical paths being such that no more than two of the multiple paths lie in a same plane.

Abstract: A sub-nanosecond passively Q-switched microchip laser is disclosed. It combines an optically pumped, passively Q-switched, high-frequency, microchip laser producing short pulses with an optically end-pumped amplifier producing high small-signal gain while pumped at low power. The microchip laser for emitting pulsed laser radiation is a monolithic body comprising two reflective elements defining an optical resonator for laser radiation, a laser gain medium, e.g., Nd:YAG, and a saturable absorber medium, e.g., Cr4+:YAG placed inside said resonator. The optical amplifier stage for amplifying the laser radiation comprises an amplifying medium, e.g., Nd:YVO4. The microchip laser and the amplifier are optically end-pumped, preferably by high-brightness diodes. This entirely passive laser system directly produces &mgr;J pulses at repetition rates of about 45 kHz.

Abstract: Laser type source of coherent luminous radiation including a resonant cavity, an amplification medium placed in the resonant cavity and a dynamic photosensitive material which is placed in the resonant cavity to form a self-adapting spectral and/or spatial filter, characterized in that the cavity is a ring laser cavity and in that the dynamic photosensitive material is placed at the intersection of two beams.