Patent ID: 6385229
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A laser comprising:a laser resonator optical system; and an array illuminator optical system placed within the resonator optical system, the array illuminator optical system placing a plurality of complex amplitude distributions similar to that of an incident laser beam at even spacing and in a uniform phase in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the laser resonator, such that only a fundamental transverse component in a uniform phase is generated along the optical axis of the laser resonator, wherein the array illuminator optical system includes, a Fourier plane array illuminator using one of a first lens array and a first phase grating; a Fourier transform lens for carrying out a Fourier transform on a complex amplitude distribution of a laser beam having passed through the Fourier plane array illuminator; and a Fourier plane array illuminator using one of a second lens array and a second phase grating which corrects a phase of and collimates respective laser spots in a laser spot array formed at even spacing on a Fourier transform plane of the Fourier transform lens.