Patent ID: 7230715
Filing Date: 2007-06-12
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
1. A method for measuring a pulse shape of a first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light, the method comprising the steps of: a) generating the first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light, each pulse of the first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light including a first pulse width, a predetermined pulse period, and a predetermined peak wavelength; b) generating a second plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light substantially synchronized with the first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light, each pulse of the second plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light including; c) creating a controllable time offset between the first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light and the second plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light, the controllable time offset being less than the predetermined pulse period of the first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light; d) intersecting time offset pairs of pulses within a nonlinear optical medium to generate a plurality of wavelength converted pulses, each wavelength converted pulse including; e) detecting the pulse energies of the plurality of wavelength converted pulses generated in step (d) as the controllable time offset between pairs of intersecting pulses is varied; f) determining the pulse shape of first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light from the pulse energies of the plurality of wavelength converted pulses detected in step (e) and the controllable time offsets between corresponding pairs of intersecting pulses; and g) storing the pulse shape of the first plurality of substantially similar pulses of laser light.