Laser system with wavelength converter

Abstract

A method of controlling beam quality and stability of a laser apparatus, the laser apparatus comprising, a diode laser () providing first radiation of at least a first wavelength, and a frequency conversion unit () configured to frequency-convert the first radiation from the diode laser and to output the frequency-converted radiation (), the frequency-converted radiation having at least a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the diode laser () comprising at least a first and a second section (), a first contact () for injecting a first current (I) into the first section (), a second contact () for injecting a second current (I) into the second section (), and means for controlling a temperature of the diode laser; wherein the method comprises monitoring a first parameter indicative of the power content of a dominant lobe of the first radiation; iteratively determining a combination of respective values of the first current, the second current and the temperature at which combination of respective values the monitored first parameter and a stability parameter indicative of a fluctuation over time of the monitored first parameter each fulfills a respective predetermined optimization criterion; and setting the first current, the second current, and the temperature to the determined combination of respective values.