Patent ID: 7088762

Claim:
A laser apparatus capable of emitting laser beams of a plurality of different wavelengths, the apparatus including: an exciting light source; a solid-state laser medium which emits light of a plurality of peak wavelengths by light from the exciting light source; a rotatable reflection mirror placed so that a line that is perpendicular to a reflection surface of the rotatable reflection mirror is inclined at a predetermined non-zero angle with respect to a resonance optical axis of the laser medium; a rotating unit, having a rotating axis made coaxial with or parallel to the resonance optical axis, which rotates the rotatable reflection mirror about the rotating axis so that the rotatable reflection mirror is disposed changeably between a first position and a second position and the predetermined inclined non-zero angle of the line that is perpendicular to the reflection surface with respect to the resonance optical axis is constant; a first resonance optical system including: a first resonant mirror and a second resonant mirror placed so that the laser medium and the rotatable reflection mirror disposed in the first position are interposed between the first and second resonant mirrors to resonate light of a first peak wavelength among the plurality of peak wavelengths emitted from the laser medium, the first position being a position in which the first peak wavelength light is reflected by to rotatable reflection mirror between the laser medium and the second resonant mirror; and a first wavelength converting element located between the rotatable reflection mirror disposed in the first position and the second resonant mirror to oscillate second harmonic light of the first peak wavelength light as a first laser beam; and a second resonance optical system including: the first resonant mirror and a third resonant mirror placed so that the laser medium and the rotatable reflection mirror disposed in the second position are interposed between the first and third resonant mirrors to resonate light of a second peak wavelength among the plurality of peak wavelengths emitted from the laser medium, the second position being a position in which the second peak wavelength light is reflected by the rotatable reflection mirror between the laser medium and the third resonant mirror, the second peak wavelength being different in wavelength from the first peak wavelength; and a second wavelength converting element located between the rotatable reflection mirror disposed in the second position and the third resonant mirror to oscillate second harmonic light of the second peak wavelength light as a second laser beam.