Multi-mode fiber amplifier
AssigneeImra America, Inc.
InventorsMartin E. Fermann, Donald J. Harter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laser utilizes a cavity design which allows the stable generation of high peak power pulses from mode-locked multi-mode fiber lasers, greatly extending the peak power limits of conventional mode-locked single-mode fiber lasers. Mode-locking may be induced by insertion of a saturable absorber into the cavity and by inserting one or more mode-filters to ensure the oscillation of the fundamental mode in the multi-mode fiber. The probability of damage of the absorber may be minimized by the insertion of an additional semiconductor optical power limiter into the cavity.
Claims22
An optical apparatus comprising:
- a length of multi-mode optical fiber comprising a gain medium and configured to propagate a fundamental mode;
- a length of single mode optical fiber configured to propagate a single mode;
- and
- a splice between the length of multi-mode optical fiber and the length of single-mode optical fiber,
- wherein the single mode of the length of single mode optical fiber is matched to the fundamental mode of the length of multi-mode optical fiber.
An optical apparatus for amplifying light, the apparatus comprising:
- a length of multi-mode optical fiber, said multi-mode optical fiber including a gain medium;
- an output for receiving amplified light from said length of multi-mode optical fiber;
- an energy source for exciting said gain medium;
- and
- an input for providing a beam of light to be amplified within said length of multi-mode fiber, said input comprising a near-diffraction limited laser source, said input optically coupled to said length of multi-mode fiber, said length of multi-mode fiber providing substantially single mode light at the output of said apparatus.
A light amplifier comprising:
- a length of multi-mode optical fiber, said multi-mode optical fiber including a gain medium;
- an energy source for exciting said gain medium;
- and
- an input for providing a near-diffraction limited beam of light to be amplified within said length of multi-mode fiber, said input optically coupled to said length of multi-mode fiber to provide substantially diffraction limited light at the output of said amplifier, said input comprising a near-diffraction limited laser source.
-40. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.