Object information acquiring apparatus and laser apparatus

Abstract

An object information acquiring apparatus is used which includes: a laser medium; a temperature controlling unit for controlling a temperature of the laser medium; an excitation unit for exciting the laser medium; a control unit for controlling the temperature controlling unit and the excitation unit; a probe for receiving acoustic waves that are generated when an object is irradiated with a laser beam from the laser medium; and a processing unit for acquiring characteristic information relating to the object from the acoustic waves, wherein the control unit does not operate the excitation unit until the temperature of the laser medium falls within a predetermined range.

1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A laser apparatus, comprising:
 a laser medium;   temperature controlling means configured to control a temperature of the laser medium;   excitation means configured to excite the laser medium;   control means configured to control the temperature controlling means and the excitation means;   first temperature measuring means configured to measure a first temperature of the laser medium; and   second temperature measuring means configured to measure a second temperature of a substance which is circulated near the laser medium for heating the laser medium,   wherein the control means is configured to control the excitation means based on the first temperature and the second temperature.   
     
     
         10 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the control means is configured not to activate the excitation means until the first temperature reaches a first predetermined value. 
     
     
         11 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the first predetermined value is 80 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         12 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the control means is configured not to activate the excitation means until the second temperature reaches a second predetermined value. 
     
     
         13 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the second predetermined value is larger than 20 degrees Celsius and smaller than 80 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         14 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the control means is configured to activate the temperature controlling means for heating the laser medium until the first temperature reaches the first predetermined value. 
     
     
         15 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the temperature controlling means includes a circulator circulating the substance near the laser medium, and heating means heating the substance circulating within the circulator. 
     
     
         16 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the control means activates the heating means until the temperature of the laser medium becomes stable, and activates the excitation means after the temperature of the laser medium is stabilized. 
     
     
         17 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the control means is configured to control so that peaks of power consumption between the heating means and the excitation means do not overlap. 
     
     
         18 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 light intensity measuring means configured to measure a light intensity of a laser beam,   wherein the control means is configured to activate the excitation means after the light intensity of the laser beam for a prescribed period becomes stable within a predetermined range.   
     
     
         19 . The laser apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein a power consumption to flow to the heating means after the second temperature reaches a second predetermined value and until the first temperature of the laser medium reaches a first predetermined value, is smaller than a power consumption to flow to the heating means until the second temperature reaches the second predetermined value.