# US 2022/0045474 A1 · Counter-pumped fiber laser array system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0045474 A1 - Document ID: US20220045474A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/394,624 - Filed: 2021-08-05 - Published: 2022-02-10 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-05 - Assignees: Optical Engines, Inc. - Applicants: Optical Engines, Inc. - Inventors: Donald Lee Sipes, JR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220045474A1 ## CPC - H01S 3/06745: {Tapering of the fibre, core or active region} - H01S 3/06712: {Polarising fibre; Polariser} - H01S 3/06754: {Fibre amplifiers (H01S3/06708 takes precedence)} - H01S 3/094003: {the pumped medium being a fibre} - H01S 3/09415: {the pumping beam being parallel to the lasing mode of the pumped medium, e.g. end-pumping} - H01S 3/1625: {titanium} - H01S 3/2383: {Parallel arrangements} - H01S 3/005: {Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping (shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B)} - H01S 3/0078: {Frequency filtering} - H01S 3/0085: {Modulating the output, i.e. the laser beam is modulated outside the laser cavity} - H01S 3/0092: {Nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity (nonlinear frequency conversion per se G02F1/35)} - H01S 3/06704: {Housings; Packages} - H01S 3/1618: {ytterbium} - 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 ## Abstract A fiber laser system includes: an array of gain fibers configured to transmit signal light; and an array of tapered end caps configured to receive the signal light and output the signal light, wherein each gain fiber in the array of gain fibers is spliced to a respective tapered end cap of the array of tapered end caps. A counter-pumping light source is configured to output counter-pumping light. A dichroic mirror is configured to receive the counter-pumping light and the signal light from the array of tapered end caps. The dichroic mirror is further configured to either allow the counter-pumping light received by the dichroic mirror to pass through the dichroic mirror and reflect the signal light received by the dichroic mirror or allow the signal light received by the dichroic mirror to pass through the dichroic mirror and reflect the counter-pumping light received by the dichroic mirror. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fiber laser system, comprising: an array of gain fibers configured to transmit signal light; an array of tapered end caps configured to receive the signal light from the array of gain fibers and output the signal light, wherein each gain fiber in the array of gain fibers is spliced to a respective tapered end cap of the array of tapered end caps; a counter-pumping light source configured to output counter-pumping light; and a dichroic mirror configured to receive the counter-pumping light from the counter-pumping light source and to receive the signal light from the array of tapered end caps, wherein the dichroic mirror is further configured to: allow the counter-pumping light received by the dichroic mirror to pass through the dichroic mirror and reflect the signal light received by the dichroic mirror; or allow the signal light received by the dichroic mirror to pass through the dichroic mirror and reflect the counter-pumping light received by the dichroic mirror. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fiber laser system according to claim 1, wherein each of the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps has a hexagonal shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fiber laser system according to claim 1, wherein each of the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps has a square shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fiber laser system according to claim 1, wherein the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps are tightly packed such that adjacent tapered end caps do not have space between them. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fiber laser system according to claim 1, further comprising: a V-groove holder having a V-groove configured to hold the array of tapered end caps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fiber laser system according to claim 5, wherein the V-groove comprises filler material around the array of tapered end caps held in the V-groove. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fiber laser system according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of variable-linewidth software-defined seed sources, each configured to output light pulses corresponding to the signal light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The fiber laser system according to claim 7, further comprising: a plurality of pre-amplifiers, each configured to receive light pulses from a respective variable-linewidth software-defined seed source and output amplified light pulses to a respective mode field adapter connected to a respective gain fiber of the array of gain fibers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fiber laser system according to claim 1, wherein the counter-pumping light source is a multi-element laser diode source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fiber laser system according to claim 1, further comprising: a shaping and imaging optics assembly configured to receive the counter-pumping light and focus the counter-pumping light towards the array of tapered end caps. ### Claim 11 A fiber laser system, comprising: an array of gain fibers configured to transmit signal light; and an array of tapered end caps configured to receive the signal light from the array of gain fibers and output the signal light, wherein each gain fiber in the array of gain fibers is spliced to a respective tapered end cap of the array of tapered end caps; wherein the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps are tightly packed such that adjacent tapered end caps do not have space between them. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fiber laser system according to claim 11, wherein each of the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps has a hexagonal shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The fiber laser system according to claim 11, wherein each of the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps has a square shape. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The fiber laser system according to claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of variable-linewidth software-defined seed sources, each configured to output light pulses corresponding to the signal light. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The fiber laser system according to claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of pre-amplifiers, each configured to receive light pulses from a respective variable-linewidth software-defined seed source and output amplified light pulses to a respective mode field adapter connected to a respective gain fiber of the array of gain fibers. ### Claim 16 A Titanium:Sapphire (Ti:Sapphire) laser system, comprising: an array of gain fibers configured to transmit light; an array of tapered end caps configured to receive the light from the array of gain fibers and output the light, wherein each gain fiber in the array of gain fibers is spliced to a respective tapered end cap of the array of tapered end caps; a polarizer configured to receive the light output from the array of tapered end caps and to separate the received light into two orthogonal polarizations; and a second harmonic generation (SHG) unit configured to receive the two orthogonal polarizations and recombine them to form an output beam of the Ti:Sapphire laser system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The Ti:Sapphire laser system according to claim 16, wherein each of the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps has a hexagonal shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The Ti:Sapphire laser system according to claim 16, wherein each of the tapered end caps of the array of tapered end caps has a square shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The Ti:Sapphire laser system according to claim 16, wherein the SHG unit is further configured to utilize a frequency doubling scheme in heated lithium triborate (LBO) crystals or barium borate (BBO) crystals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The Ti:Sapphire laser system according to claim 16, further comprising: a plurality of variable-linewidth software-defined seed sources, each configured to output light pulses; and a plurality of pre-amplifiers, each configured to receive light pulses from a respective variable-linewidth software-defined seed source and output amplified light pulses to a respective mode field adapter connected to a respective gain fiber of the array of gain fibers.