초록 ▼

Apparatus for homogenizing a laser beam includes a lenslet array. In some embodiments, the lenslets have a negative power. The lenslet array may include from 16 to 36 effective lenslets in some embodiments, or any other suitable number in alternative embodiments. Some embodiments additionally inclu

Apparatus for homogenizing a laser beam includes a lenslet array. In some embodiments, the lenslets have a negative power. The lenslet array may include from 16 to 36 effective lenslets in some embodiments, or any other suitable number in alternative embodiments. Some embodiments additionally include a re-focusing lens for directing the beamlets onto a target so that the beamlets overlap and the energy distribution is homogenized. In an alternative embodiment, the lenslet array and re-focusing lens are combined in one optic.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for homogenizing an energy distribution across a laser beam, the method comprising: generating the laser beam with a laser, the laser beam comprising an unequal divergence in two axes; passing a laser beam through a lenslet array having a pattern to transmit the lase

What is claimed is: 1. A method for homogenizing an energy distribution across a laser beam, the method comprising: generating the laser beam with a laser, the laser beam comprising an unequal divergence in two axes; passing a laser beam through a lenslet array having a pattern to transmit the laser beam as multiple beamlets; moving the lenslet array about a longitudinal axis extending along the laser beam to avoid coupling of the pattern with the unequal divergence of the two axes; and directing the beamlets onto a target using at least one lens, so that the beamlets overlap and the energy distribution is homogenized. 2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the lenslet array comprises a negative power lenslet array, and wherein passing the beam through the lenslet array forms diverging beamlets. 3. A method as in claim 1, wherein passing the laser beam through the lenslet array generates at least 16 beamlets. 4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising rotating the lenslet array about a longitudinal axis extending along the laser beam. 5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the lenslet array rotates such that each pulse of a pulsed laser beam passes through the array in an angular window of acceptance about 45�� diagonal axes, thus avoiding 0�� and 90�� orientations of the array relative to the laser beam. 6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the angular window of acceptance comprises a range of 10�� on both sides of the 45�� diagonal axes. 7. A method as in claim 4, further comprising rotating the lens about the longitudinal axis. 8. A method as in claim 1, further comprising adjusting a cross-sectional dimension of the laser beam by passing the beam through a telescope before passing the beam through the lenslet array. 9. A method as in claim 1, wherein directing the beamlets onto a target comprises focusing the beamlets on an aperture disposed apart from the lens. 10. A method as in claim 1, further comprising directing at least some of the beamlets through an aperture. 11. A method as in claim 10, wherein directing the beamlets through the aperture causes the beamlets to arrive collimated at an ablation plane. 12. A method as in claim 10, wherein a cross-sectional dimension of the aperture is selected to provide the laser beam with a desired cross-sectional dimension at an ablation plane. 13. A method of providing a laser beam having a homogenized energy distribution to an eye of a patient, the method comprising: passing a laser beam having an unequal divergence in two axes through a lenslet array having a pattern to transmit the laser beam as multiple beamlets; directing the beamlets through at least one lens, so that the beamlets overlap and the energy distribution is homogenized; directing at least some of the beamlets through an aperture; and rotating the lenslet array about an axis of rotation to avoid coupling of the pattern with the unequal divergence in two axes. 14. A method as in claim 13, wherein the lenslet array comprises a negative power lenslet array, and wherein passing the beam through the lenslet array forms diverging beamlets. 15. A method as in claim 13, wherein the array rotates within an angular window of acceptance about 45�� diagonal axes, relative to the direction of the laser beam. 16. A method as in claim 15, wherein the angular window of acceptance comprises a range of 10�� on both sides of the 45�� diagonal axes. 17. A method as in claim 13, further comprising rotating the lens about the longitudinal axis. 18. A method as in claim 13, further comprising adjusting a cross-sectional dimension of the laser beam, by passing the beam through a telescope before passing the beam through the lenslet array. 19. A method as in claim 13, wherein directing the beamlets through the aperture causes the beamlets to arrive collimated at an ablation plane. 20. A method as in claim 13, wherein a cross-sectional dimension of the aperture is selected to provide the laser beam with a desired cross-sectional dimension at an ablation plane.