Importance

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Abstract

Lasers capable of lasing at least two wavelengths are provided having a lasing medium which is capable of lasing at a first wavelength and at a second wavelength. An output coupler is positioned along a longitudinal axis at a first end of the lasing medium and a first mirror, movable beam block shutter and second mirror are positioned sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the lasing medium at a second end of the lasing medium. The first mirror is highly reflective at a first wavelength, and the second mirror is highly reflective at a second wavelength while being transparent at the first wavelength. The beam block shutter is movable between a first position along the longitudinal axis of the lasing medium and between the first and second mirrors and a second position away from the longitudinal axis of the lasing medium. Also provided are laser workstations having two lasers driven by a single electronics drive system in which a single energy storage network is connected to a first laser pump chamber operative to excite a first laser medium and connected to a second laser pump chamber operative to excite a second laser medium. In certain embodiments, a switch connects the single energy storage network to a secondary winding of a high voltage trigger transformer, which is itself connected to the laser pump chambers. These high voltage trigger transformer serve to selectively ionize the excitation source in one of the laser pump chambers such that when the switch is closed, energy from the energy storage network will flow through the pump chamber whose excitation source(s) has been previously ionized. In other embodiments, the single energy storage network is connected to the excitation sources via active semiconductor switches that permit the release of portions of energy stored in the single energy storage network to one of the lasers, leaving additional energy to be immediately or rapidly released to the excitation source of the first or another laser. Also provided are methods of treating skin having a skin problem using multiple wavelengths of laser energy.

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First Claim