US Patent 7539222 Method of operating laser light source

A method of operating a laser light source including a wavelength conversion device in which two wavelength laser beams are input to a nonlinear crystal to output a sum frequency wavelength, according to one embodiment includes inputting only one wavelength laser beam of the two input wavelength laser beams to the nonlinear crystal; measuring scattered light intensity of the one wavelength laser beam by a light sensitive sensor installed on an optical axis of the sum frequency wavelength output beam; and judging a damage state of the nonlinear crystal based on a measurement value obtained of the intensity measurement by the light sensitive sensor.