Patent ID: 6130900
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: A61B,H01S

Abstract:
A pulsed intracavity frequency-converted, solid-state laser, comprising:a first resonant-cavity including a solid-state gain-medium;an optical-pump for energizing said solid-state gain-medium thereby causing laser-radiation at a fundamental wavelength to circulate in said first resonant-cavity;an optically-nonlinear crystal located in said resonant-cavity for converting the frequency of the laser-radiation to create output-radiation having a wavelength different from that of the fundamental wavelength and wherein said laser radiation circulates in said resonant cavity in more than one longitudinal mode; anda power supply for energizing the optical pump, said power supply being operated in such a way that said frequency-converted output-radiation is provided in repeated bursts of output-pulses at a burst-repetition rate between about 1 Hz and 5 Hz, each of said bursts having a duration greater than about 3 milliseconds and including two or more output-pulses having a duration greater than about 0.5 milliseconds whereby the total energy of the output pulses in each burst is greater than the total energy of a single output pulse having a duration as long as the burst.