Patent ID: 8000574

Claim:
A supercontinuum laser radiation source, the source comprising: (a) at least one laser radiation source, said at least one laser radiation source being adapted to emit at least a laser radiation of a first wavelength and comprising a frequency doubler arranged to generate a laser radiation of a second wavelength, wherein the second wavelength is shorter than the first wavelength; and (b) an optical waveguide having a dispersion characteristic of guided optical radiation, said dispersion characteristic comprising: (i) a first dispersion parameter at said first wavelength, (ii) a second dispersion parameter at said second shorter wavelength, and (iii) a zero-dispersion parameter at a wavelength in between said first and said second shorter wavelengths, said optical waveguide being optically connected with said at least one laser radiation source and said frequency doubler to receive said laser radiations at said first and second wavelengths; wherein the supercontinuum laser radiation source simultaneously emits supercontinuum optical radiation spanning more than 800 nm and includes wavelengths that are lower than the first wavelength and the second wavelength.