Device for generating a laser light beam

1 . A device for generating a laser light beam, the device comprising a module, the module comprising:

at least one laser light source; and

at least one of a mechanical, an electrical and an optical interface defined towards an outside of the module.

2 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the laser light beam is an illuminating light beam for a microscope.

3 . The device as recited in claim 2 wherein the microscope is a confocal scanning microscope.

4 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one laser light source includes at least two laser light sources.

5 . The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a docking station including at least one slot configured to receive the module.

6 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module has at least one dimension defined by a housing.

7 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module forms an opto-mechanical unit.

8 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module includes an integrated power/control unit.

9 . The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a central power/control unit configured to be brought into contact with the module.

10 . The device as recited in claim 9 further comprising a docking station configured to receive the power/control unit.

11 . The device as recited in claim 9 further comprising a docking station and wherein the power/control unit is integrated therein.

12 . The device as recited in claim 8 wherein the power/control unit includes at least one connection for at least one of an external power, a control and a signal line.

13 . The device as recited in claim 9 wherein the power/control unit includes at least one connection for at least one of an external power, a control and a signal line.

14 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein module includes an the electrical interface, the electrical interface including a cable with a plug-in connector.

15 . The device as recited in claim 9 wherein the module is configure to be connected to the power/control unit via at least one of a first power, a first control and a first signal line.

16 . The device as recited in claim 15 further comprising a second module configured to connect to the power/control unit via at least one of a second power, a second control and a second signal line, at least one of the second power, the second control and the second signal line being respectively substantially the same as at least one of the first power, the first control and the first signal line.

17 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module includes an electrical interface including at least one plug-in contact.

18 . The device as recited in claim 17 further comprising a docking station including at least one slot configured to receive the module, the at least one slot including at least one contacting element configured to mechanically receive the at least one plug-in contact.

19 . The device as recited in claim 18 wherein the at least one contacting element is configured so that when at least one of an electrical and an optical contact to the power/control unit is established when the module is completely inserted into the at least one slot.

20 . The device as recited in claim 18 wherein:

the docking station includes an integrated microcontroller; and

the at least one contacting element is configured so that, when the module is inserted in the at least one slot, a signal is transmitted to the microcontroller.

21 . The device as recited in claim 8 wherein a communication between the module and the power/control unit is established via at least one of an optical and a radio connection.

22 . The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the at least one slot includes a first and a second slot each having a respective same dimension and a respective same interface.

23 . The device as recited in claim 18 further comprising at least one second slot having a second contacting element configured to prevent insertion of the module therein.

24 . The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an optical interface including at least one fiber plug associated with the module.

25 . The device as recited in claim 24 wherein the at least one fiber plug is disposed on a housing of the module.

26 . The device as recited in claim 24 wherein a laser light beam of the at least one laser light source is focused inside the module onto the at least one fiber plug.

27 . The device as recited in claim 24 wherein a laser light beam of the at least one laser light source strikes the at least one fiber plug in collimated form inside the module.

28 . The device as recited in claim 27 further comprising a focusing optical element integrated into the at least one fiber plug.

29 . The device as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

at least one fiber opening disposed on a housing of the module; and

a fiber plug disposed outside the housing.

30 . The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an optical interface including at least one outlet window associated with the module.

31 . The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a beam recombiner arrangement disposed inside the module and configured to recombine laser light beams of the at least one laser light source.

32 . The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an external beam recombiner arrangement configured to have laser light beams of the at least one laser light source conveyed thereto.

33 . The device as recited in claim 32 wherein the external beam recombiner arrangement includes a plurality of beam recombiners arranged in a row or in groups parallel to each other.

34 . The device as recited in claim 33 wherein the beam recombiners include band-edge filters.

35 . The device as recited in claim 33 wherein the beam recombiners are each configured to couple in a respective laser light beam having a wavelength of a defined wavelength range.

36 . The device as recited in claim 33 further comprising a docking station including at least one slot configured to receive the module, and wherein the beam recombiner arrangement is disposed in the docking station using electrical interfaces.

37 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one laser light source includes at least one of a solid and a fiber laser.

38 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module includes an electronic circuit configured to directly or indirectly stabilize properties of the at least one laser light source.

39 . The device as recited in claim 38 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to vary the properties of the at least one laser light source, and the properties include at least one of an intensity, a wavelength, and a spectral width, a polarization, and a coherence length.

40 . The device as recited in claim 38 wherein the at least one laser light source includes a pulsed laser light source, and the properties include at least one of a pulse timing, a pulse duration, a pulse form and a pulse repetition rate.

41 . The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one laser light source is adapted to at least one specific application.