System, method and apparatus to provide laser beams of two or more wavelengths

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method may provide laser beams of two or more wavelengths from diode pumped solid-state laser sources ( 220, 222, 224 ). The beam paths of these laser beams with different wavelengths, which are generated by the laser sources ( 220, 222, 224 ), may be aligned along a common optical axis 280 by an optical configuration, to treat at least one target area. Frequency-doubled laser beams, output from a plurality of diode pumped solid state laser cavities, may be passed through fold mirrors (M 2 , M 5 , M 8 ), and combined on a common optical axis 280 , using one or more combiner mirrors (M 10 , M 11 , M 12 ), to unify the beam paths. Selected laser beams may be delivered to a target using one or more delivery systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus to combine the paths of respective laser beams of two or more wavelengths, comprising:
 a collimation lens to collimate at least two diode pumped solid state laser generated beams of different wavelengths; and   an optical configuration to align the paths of the collimated beams along a common optical axis.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said optical configuration includes at least one combiner mirror, 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a moving attenuator to attenuate at least one of said beams, 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one power-monitoring detector to detect the power of at least one of said beams on said common optical axis. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one pickoff mirror to reflect at least one or said beams to a diffuser. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , comprising a safety shutter to limit the exposure of said target to said beams 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising an aiming beam to enable aiming of said beam towards a target. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one optical port associated with said common optical axis. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one optical socket. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising one or more laser delivery systems to deliver at least one of said beams to a target. 
     
     
         11 . A method to operate a laser illumination system at one or more selected wavelengths, comprising:
 selecting a desired wavelength to be delivered;   selecting a diode pump laser source to activate;   selecting laser exposure settings for the selected wavelength; and   activating said selected laser source to generate a beam with a desired wavelength.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 processing feedback from a detector, for said generated beam; and   validating accuracy of the actual power output of said generated beam.