Patent ID: 8824514
Filing Date: 2014-09-02
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for laser frequency conversion with crystal site lifetime monitoring, comprising: a fundamental laser light source configured to generate fundamental wavelength laser light; at least one optical crystal configured to receive fundamental laser light from the fundamental laser light source, the at least one optical crystal configured to generate alternate wavelength light by frequency converting at least a portion of the received fundamental laser light to alternate wavelength light; an auxiliary light source configured to generate auxiliary wavelength light, the auxiliary wavelength light having a wavelength different from a wavelength of the fundamental wavelength laser light and a wavelength of the alternate wavelength light, the fundamental laser light source and the auxiliary light source oriented such that at least a portion of fundamental laser light substantially copropagates with at least a portion of auxiliary light through one or more surfaces of the optical crystal; a detector configured to detect auxiliary light scattered by the optical crystal; one or more filters positioned between the optical crystal and the detector, the one or more filters configured to block the fundamental wavelength laser light and the alternative wavelength light scattered from a frequency conversion site of the at least one optical crystal, the one or more filters configured to substantially transmit the auxiliary light scattered by the frequency conversion site of the optical crystal; and a computer system communicatively coupled to the detector, wherein the computer system is configured to: