A pulsed light generation apparatus 1A includes a dispersing unit 12 for dispersing pulsed light for respective wavelengths, a polarization dependent type spatial light modulator 14 for modulating the dispersed pulsed light in respective wavelengths, and a combining unit 16 for combining wavelength components of the pulsed light output from the spatial light modulator 14. A polarization plane of the pulsed light input to the spatial light modulator 14 is inclined with respect to a polarization direction in which the spatial light modulator 14 has a modulation function. The spatial light modulator 14 causes a time difference between a first polarization component of the pulsed light along the polarization direction and a second polarization component of the pulsed light intersecting with the first polarization component. Thus, a pulsed light generation apparatus that can easily suppress variation in time difference between two pulsed light components is realized.
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