# US 10,441,158 B2 · Supercontinuum light source > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,158 B2 - Document ID: US10441158B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/980,177 - Filed: 2018-05-15 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-01 - Assignees: Nkt Photonics A/S - Applicants: Nkt Photonics A/S - Inventors: Carsten L. Thomsen; Thomas Vestergaard Andersen; Thomas Feuchter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441158B2 ## CPC - A61B 3/0008: {provided with illuminating means (A61B3/117, A61B3/14 take precedence)} - A61B 3/1005: {for measuring distances inside the eye, e.g. thickness of the cornea (A61B3/11 takes precedence)} - A61B 3/102: {for optical coherence tomography [OCT]} - G02F 1/35: Non-linear optics - G02F 1/3501: {Constructional details or arrangements of non-linear optical devices, e.g. shape of non-linear crystals} - G02F 1/353: {Frequency conversion, i.e. wherein a light beam is generated with frequency components different from those of the incident light beams} - G02F 1/365: in an optical waveguide structure (G02F1/377, {G02F1/395} take precedence) - H01S 5/0092: {for nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity} - H01S 5/0657: {Mode locking, i.e. generation of pulses at a frequency corresponding to a roundtrip in the cavity} - G02B 27/0927: {Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat} - G02F 1/3503: {Structural association of optical elements, e.g. lenses, with the non-linear optical device} - G02F 1/3528: {for producing a supercontinuum} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A supercontinuum light source can include a seed laser arranged to provide seed pulses with a pulse frequency Fseed; a pulse frequency multiplier (PFM) arranged to multiply the seed pulses by converting pulses having the pulse frequency Fseed to pump pulses with a pulse frequency Fpump, where Fpump is larger than Fseed; and a non-linear element arranged to receive said pump pulses and convert said pump pulses to pulses of supercontinuum light. The PFM can further include a splitter for splitting pulses into first and second sub beams each having the same pulse frequency, where the PFM is configured such that the sub beams experience different delays; and a combiner for combining said first and second sub beams into a beam having the pulse frequency that is greater than said same pulse frequency. The splitter can have an uneven splitter ratio. The disclosure includes other embodiments as well. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A supercontinuum light source comprising: a seed laser configured to provide seed pulses with a pulse frequency Fseed; a pulse frequency multiplier (PFM) configured to multiply the seed pulses by converting seed pulses having the pulse frequency Fseed to pump pulses with a pulse frequency Fpump, where Fpump is larger than Fseed; a non-linear element configured to receive said pump pulses and convert said pump pulses to pulses of supercontinuum light; and first and second amplifiers, one of the amplifiers configured to amplify pulses having the pulse frequency Fseed and the other of the amplifiers configured to amplify pulses having the pulse frequency Fpump; wherein said PFM is located between the amplifiers; and wherein said PFM comprises a splitter configured to split seed pulses into first and second sub beams, wherein the splitter has an uneven split ratio. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein said PFM comprises an attenuator configured to attenuate pulses of light having a pulse frequency that is less than Fpump. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein said PFM comprises a second splitter, said second splitter has a splitter ratio that is uneven. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein said PFM comprises a delay line for delaying one of the first and second sub beams. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein said PFM comprises an attenuator for attenuating one of the first and second sub beams. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum source of claim 1, wherein said non-linear element comprises a microstructured optical fiber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum source of claim 1, wherein Fpump is 150 MHz or more. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein said seed laser is configured to provide seed pulses with a pulse duration tseed that is longer than about 1 ps. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The supercontinuum light source of claim 8, wherein tseed is shorter than about 50 ps. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein the supercontinuum light source is configured such that the total average optical power in the range 400 nm-850 nm is less than 100 mW. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein the amplifiers provide an increase in pulse energy and peak power relative to an output from the seed laser. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein the supercontinuum light source is configured such that peak power of the pulses out of the first amplifier is constant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein the supercontinuum light source is configured such that peak power of the pulses out of the second amplifier is constant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The supercontinuum light source of claim 1, wherein said seed laser comprises a mode locked Yb laser. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The supercontinuum light source of claim 14, wherein said mode locked Yb laser comprises a fiber laser that is passively mode locked via a SESAM (Semiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror). ### Claim 16 A supercontinuum light source comprising: a seed laser configured to provide seed pulses with a pulse frequency Fseed; a pulse frequency multiplier (PFM) configured to multiply the seed pulses by converting seed pulses having the pulse frequency Fseed to pump pulses with a pulse frequency Fpump, where Fpump is larger than Fseed; a non-linear element configured to receive said pump pulses and convert said pump pulses to pulses of supercontinuum light; and first and second amplifiers, one of the amplifiers configured to amplify pulses having the pulse frequency Fseed and the other of the amplifiers configured to amplify pulses having the pulse frequency Fpump; wherein said PFM is located between the amplifiers; and wherein the supercontinuum light source is configured such that the pulses of supercontinuum light have a pulse duration and wherein an average optical power output from the supercontinuum light source is less than 5 Watt output per ps pulse duration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said PFM comprises an attenuator configured to attenuate pulses of light having a pulse frequency that is less than Fpump. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said PFM comprises a splitter configured to split seed pulses into first and second sub beams, wherein the splitter has an uneven split ratio. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said PFM comprises a second splitter, said second splitter has a splitter ratio that is uneven. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said PFM comprises a delay line for delaying one of the first and second sub beams. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said PFM comprises an attenuator for attenuating one of the first and second sub beams. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said non-linear element comprises a microstructured optical fiber. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein Fpump is 150 MHz or more. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said seed laser is configured to provide seed pulses with a pulse duration tseed that is longer than about 1 ps. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The supercontinuum light source of claim 24, wherein tseed is shorter than about 50 ps. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein the supercontinuum light source is configured such that the total average optical power in the range 400 nm-850 nm is less than 100 mW. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein the amplifiers provide an increase in pulse energy and peak power relative to an output from the seed laser. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein the supercontinuum light source is configured such that peak power of the pulses out of the first amplifier is constant. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein the supercontinuum light source is configured such that peak power of the pulses out of the second amplifier is constant. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) The supercontinuum light source of claim 16, wherein said seed laser comprises a mode locked Yb laser. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The supercontinuum light source of claim 30, wherein said mode locked Yb laser comprises a fiber laser that is passively mode locked via a SESAM (Semiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror).