Wavelength conversion light source apparatus and wavelength conversion method

1. A wavelength conversion light source apparatus, comprising:

a fundamental wave light source configured to emit a fundamental wave;

a nonlinear crystal configured to convert a wavelength of the fundamental wave by being irradiated with the fundamental wave and making the fundamental wave pass therethrough;

a movement unit configured to place the nonlinear crystal thereon and continuously move the nonlinear crystal within a plane, where a phase matching condition is not violated, so that a passage path of the fundamental wave passing through the nonlinear crystal is changed; and

a probe light source configured to emit a probe light with a wavelength different from the wavelength of the fundamental wave,

wherein the nonlinear crystal is irradiated with the fundamental wave at a first irradiation position and is irradiated with the probe light at a second irradiation position that precedes the first irradiation position in a movement pathway, at a same time, while the nonlinear crystal is moved,

a potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal, where a wavelength converted output decreases, is specified before the potentially deteriorated portion is irradiated with the fundamental wave, by passing the probe light through the second irradiation position of the nonlinear crystal, and

the nonlinear crystal is moved, so that deterioration at the potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal is avoided.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fundamental wave light source includes a resonator, and the nonlinear crystal is placed inside the resonator.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fundamental wave light source includes a resonator, and the nonlinear crystal is placed outside the resonator.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the nonlinear crystal is moved so that the movement pathway of the first irradiation position of the fundamental wave irradiating the nonlinear crystal includes a curved line.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the nonlinear crystal is moved so that the movement pathway of the first irradiation position of the fundamental wave irradiating the nonlinear crystal is a closed pathway having no end part.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a moving speed of the nonlinear crystal is a speed at which power of the fundamental wave having a converted wavelength does not decrease.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement unit includes an x-axis stage that moves the nonlinear crystal in an x-axis direction and a y-axis stage that moves the nonlinear crystal in a y-axis direction.

8. A wavelength conversion light source apparatus, comprising:

a fundamental wave light source configured to emit a fundamental wave;

a nonlinear crystal configured to convert a wavelength of the fundamental wave by being irradiation with the fundamental wave and making the fundamental wave pass therethrough;

a movement unit configured to place the nonlinear crystal thereon and move the nonlinear crystal by a distance equal to or less than a spot size of the fundamental wave per movement within a plane, where a phase matching condition is not violated, so that a passage path of the fundamental wave passing through the nonlinear crystal is changed; and

a probe light source configured to emit a probe light with a wavelength different from the wavelength of the fundamental wave,

wherein the nonlinear crystal is irradiated with the fundamental wave at a first irradiation position and is irradiated with the probe light at a second irradiation position that precedes the first irradiation position in a movement pathway, at a same time, while the nonlinear crystal is moved,

a potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal, where a wavelength converted output decreases, is specified before the potentially deteriorated portion is irradiated with the fundamental wave, by passing the probe light through the second irradiation position of the nonlinear crystal, and

the nonlinear crystal is moved, so that deterioration at the potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal is avoided.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the fundamental wave light source includes a resonator, and the nonlinear crystal is placed inside the resonator.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the fundamental wave light source includes a resonator, and the nonlinear crystal is placed outside the resonator.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the nonlinear crystal is moved so that the movement pathway of the first irradiation position of the fundamental wave irradiating the nonlinear crystal includes a curved line.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the nonlinear crystal is moved so that the movement pathway of the first irradiation position of the fundamental wave irradiating the nonlinear crystal is a closed pathway having no end part.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a moving speed of the nonlinear crystal is a speed at which power of the fundamental wave having a converted wavelength does not decrease.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a part of the potentially deteriorated portion produced inside the nonlinear crystal is irradiated with an energy that is weaker than a radiating energy of the fundamental wave.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the potentially deteriorated portion is restored through self-annealing, when the potentially deteriorated portion is deteriorated.

16. A wavelength conversion method comprising:

converting a wavelength of a fundamental wave by irradiating a nonlinear crystal with the fundamental wave and by making the fundamental wave pass through the nonlinear crystal;

while the nonlinear crystal is irradiated with the fundamental wave, continuously moving the nonlinear crystal within a plane, where a phase matching condition is not violated, so that a passage path of the fundamental wave passing through the nonlinear crystal is changed;

irradiating the nonlinear crystal i with the fundamental wave at a first irradiation position and irradiating the nonlinear crystal with a probe light having a wavelength different than the fundamental wave at a second irradiation position, that precedes the first irradiation position in a movement pathway, at a same time, while the nonlinear crystal is moved; and

specifying a potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal, where a wavelength converted output decreases, before the potentially deteriorated portion is irradiated with the fundamental wave, by passing the probe light through the second irradiation position of the nonlinear crystal,

wherein the nonlinear crystal is moved, so that deterioration at the potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal is avoided.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the continuously moving includes moving the nonlinear crystal in at least one of an x-axis direction and a y-axis direction.

18. A wavelength conversion method comprising:

converting a wavelength of a fundamental wave by irradiating a nonlinear crystal with the fundamental wave and by making the fundamental wave pass through the nonlinear crystal; and

while the nonlinear crystal is irradiated with the fundamental wave, moving the nonlinear crystal by a distance equal to or less than a spot size of the fundamental wave per movement within a plane, where a phase matching condition is not violated, so that a passage path of the fundamental wave passing through the nonlinear crystal is changed,

irradiating the nonlinear crystal with the fundamental wave at a first irradiation position and irradiating the nonlinear crystal with a probe light having a wavelength different than the fundamental wave at a second irradiation position, that precedes the first irradiation position in a movement pathway, at a same time, while the nonlinear crystal is moved; and

specifying a potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal, where a wavelength converted output decreases, before the potentially deteriorated portion is irradiated with the fundamental wave, by passing the probe light through the second irradiation position of the nonlinear crystal, and

wherein the nonlinear crystal is moved, so that deterioration at the potentially deteriorated portion of the nonlinear crystal is avoided.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein a part of the potentially deteriorated portion produced inside the nonlinear crystal is irradiated with an energy that is weaker than a radiating energy of the fundamental wave.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the potentially deteriorated portion is restored through self-annealing, when the potentially deteriorated portion is deteriorated.