Angle selective side-pumping of fiber amplifiers and lasers
AssigneeKeopsys, Inc.
InventorLew Goldberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus of coupling pump light from an extended source to an optical waveguide is disclosed. The coupling is preferably achieved through the use of a v-groove in the optical waveguide and an angle-selective mechanism that enables the angular distributions of the pump light to be optimized for optimal coupling via facets of the v-groove. Embodiments of the apparatus use a wedge, a double wedge, mirrors, or composite lenses to affect the angle selection of the pump light.
Claims62
An apparatus for efficiently coupling light from a spatially extended pump source through a v-groove into an optical waveguide, comprising:
- a pump source that emits a source beam when in operation, wherein the source beam comprises a plurality of source rays;
- an optical system, wherein the source beam traverses the optical system and the optical system separates the source beam into a first pump beam and a second pump beam with different angular distributions, the optical system comprising:
- a first lens that collects the source rays of the source beam;
- and
- a second lens that focuses the collected source rays into the first pump beam and the second pump beam;
- and
- an optical waveguide, comprising a v-groove, wherein the v-groove comprises a first facet, a second facet and an apex and the v-groove extends into the optical waveguide, and wherein the first pump beam is incident on the first facet and the second pump beam is incident on the second facet and the v-groove couples the first pump beam and the second pump beam into the optical waveguide.
An apparatus for efficiently coupling light from a spatially extended pump source through a v-groove into a fiber, comprising:
- a pump source that emits a source beam when in operation, wherein the source beam comprises a plurality of source rays;
- an optical system, wherein the source beam traverses the optical system and the optical system collects and focuses the source rays of the source beam, the optical system comprising:
- means for separating the source beam into a first pump beam and a second pump beam with different angular distributions;
- and
- a fiber, comprising a v-groove, wherein the v-groove comprises a first facet, a second facet and an apex and the v-groove extends into the fiber, and wherein the first pump beam is incident on the first facet and the second pump beam is incident on the second facet and the v-groove couples the first pump beam and the second pump beam into the fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.