Patent ID: 7388709

Claim:
A multiple path light source comprising: a first laser source to generate a low power continuous wave light beam having a wavelength λ1; a second laser source to generate a low power continuous wave light beam having a wavelength λ2; a pump laser source to generate a high power pulsed light beam having a wavelength λ0; a first difference frequency generator (DFG) wherein the first DFG receives the low power continuous wave laser beam having the wavelength λ1 and the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ0 and provides a high power pulsed laser beam having a wavelength λ1 and a high power pulsed laser beam having a wavelength λ1 DFG wherein λ1 DFG =λ1*λ0/(λ1−λ0); a second DFG wherein the second DFG receives the low power continuous wave laser beam having the wavelength λ2 and the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ0 and provides a high power pulsed laser beam having a wavelength λ2 and a high power pulsed laser beam having a wavelength λ2 DFG wherein λ2 DFG =λ2*λ0/(λ2−λ0); a third DFG wherein the third DFG receives the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ1 and the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ2 and provides a high power pulsed laser beam having a wavelength λ3 wherein λ3=λ1*λ2/(λ2−λ1); a fourth DFG wherein the fourth DFG receives the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ1 DFG and the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ2 DFG and provides a high power pulsed laser beam having a wavelength λ3 DFG wherein λ3 DFG =λ1 DFG *λ2 DFG /(λ2 DFG −λ1 DFG ); and a beam splitter for combining the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ3 with the high power pulsed laser beam having the wavelength λ3 DFG to form a single laser beam.