Light pulse generators using a pulse-recycling filter

A light pulse generator, comprising:

• a linear resonator cavity supporting the back-and-forth propagation of cavity light pulses therein and comprising a linear optical path comprising one or more optical fiber segments apt to induce a spectral broadening of the cavity light pulses;
• first and second cavity-end Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) disposed at opposite extremities of the linear optical path and delimiting the linear resonator cavity, the first and second cavity-end FBGs having corresponding reflectivity profiles respectively centered on a first wavelength and a second wavelength;
• at least one optical gain region positioned in the linear optical path between the cavity-end FBGs;
• a light output optically coupled to the first cavity-end FBG outside of the linear resonator cavity;
• and
• a pulse-recycling filter optically coupled to the second outside of the linear resonator cavity and comprising a Chirped Fiber Bragg grating having a reflectivity profile centered on a third wavelength,
• wherein the pulse-recycling filter receives a transmitted spectral portion of the cavity light pulses transmitted through the second cavity-end FBG, reflects a recycled light pulse according to the reflectivity profile centered on a third wavelength, the recycled light pulse entering the linear resonator cavity though the second cavity-end FBG, traversing the linear resonator cavity for a single pass through the at least one optical gain region and exiting the linear resonator cavity through the first cavity-end FBG for extraction through the light output.

A light pulse generator, comprising:

• a linear resonator cavity supporting the back-and-forth propagation of cavity light pulses therein and comprising a linear optical path comprising one or more optical fiber segments apt to induce a spectral broadening of the cavity light pulses;
• first and second cavity-end Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) disposed at opposite extremities of the linear optical path and delimiting the resonator cavity, the first and second cavity-end FBGs having reflectivity profiles respectively centered on a first wavelength and a second wavelength;
• at least one optical gain region positioned across the linear optical path between the cavity-end FBGs;
• a light output optically coupled to the first cavity-end FBG outside of the linear resonator cavity;
• and
• a pulse-recycling filter optically coupled to linear optical path inside the linear resonator cavity between the second cavity-end FBG and the at least one optical gain region and comprising a Chirped Fiber Bragg grating having a reflectivity profile centered on a third wavelength,
• wherein the pulse-recycling filter receives the cavity light pulses propagating towards the second cavity-end FBG and reflects a recycled light pulse according to the reflectivity profile centered on a third wavelength towards to first cavity-end FBG, the recycled light pulse traversing the at least one gain region for a single pass and exiting the linear resonator cavity through the first cavity-end FBG for extraction through the output.