Optical Source with Remote Optical Head Outputting High Power Short Optical Pulses

A high power short optical pulse source comprising:

• an optical signal source operable to output short optical pulses;
• an optical pump light source;
• an optical head provided at a location remote from the location of the optical signal source;
• an optical fibre amplifier having at least its optical output located within the optical head;
• an optical signal delivery fibre arranged to deliver optical pulses from the optical signal source to the optical fibre amplifier;
• and
• a pump light delivery fibre arranged to deliver optical pump light to the high power optical fibre amplifier,
• wherein in use short optical pulses of a first optical power are delivered to the optical fibre amplifier and are amplified therein to a higher optical power for output from the optical head.

A method of providing high power short optical pulses, comprising:

• outputting short optical pulses from an optical signal source;
• providing an optical head at a location remote from the location of the optical signal source;
• delivering optical pulses from the optical signal source to an optical fibre amplifier having at least its optical output located within the optical head;
• delivering optical pump light from an optical pump light source to the optical fibre amplifier;
• wherein short optical pulses of a first optical power are delivered to the optical fibre amplifier and are amplified therein to a second, high optical power for output from the optical head.