LASER BEAM REGULATOR DEVICE, LASER BEAM ENERGY STABILIZATION DEVICE, LASER BEAM REGULATION METHOD, AND LASER BEAM ENERGY STABILIZATION METHOD

摘要

A laser beam regulator device is configured from: beam optical assemblies (33, 34), which split a laser beam into a primary beam P and a secondary beam S, and thereafter cause the primary beam P and the secondary beam S to intersect; polarizers (36, 37) which convert either the pre-split laser beam or both post-split laser beams into linear polarized light; a polarization direction changing element (38) which changes the polarization direction of either or both of the primary beam P and/or the secondary beam S; an optical gate element (35) made from a material having an optical kerr effect and disposed at a site whereat the primary beam P and the secondary beam S intersect; and a polarizing filter (39) which extracts only light that is polarized in a prescribed direction from the primary beam P that passes through the optical gate element (35).