Fluorozirconate fiber optic laser
AssigneeGTE Laboratories Incorporated
InventorsWilliam J. Miniscalco, Leonard J. Andrews, Barbara A. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laser has been made using a Nd.sup.3+ -doped fluoro-zirconate heavy metal fluoride (HMF) glass multimode fiber which lases in a range equal to or greater than 1.32 micrometers. The fiber laser was made for forming a glass fiber from a core glass composition comprising 52.8 mole % ZrF.sub.4, 19.9 mole % BaF.sub.2, 2.5 mole % LaF.sub.3, 3.0 mole % AlF.sub.3, 19.9 mole % NaF, 0.4 mole % InF.sub.3, and 1.5 mole % NdF.sub.3 the active dopant and the composition of the cladding glass comprises 39.6 mole % ZrF.sub.4, 17.9 mole % BaF.sub.2, 4.0 mole % LaF.sub.3, 3.0 mole % AlF.sub.3, 21.9 mole % NaF, 0.4 mole % InF.sub.3, and 13.2 mole % HfF.sub.4.
Claims16
A laser system having an active medium comprising a fluoride glass containing NdF.sub.3, said laser system having a laser emission as a result of a transition from an electronic state .sup.4 F.sub.3/2 of Nd.sup.3+ to an electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Nd.sup.3+.
A laser amplifier system having an active medium comprising a fluoride glass containing NdF.sub.3, said laser amplifier system amplifying at a wavelength as a result of a transition from an electronic state .sup.4 F.sub.3/2 of Nd.sup.3+ to an electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Nd.sup.3+.
A fiber laser system having an active medium comprising a core glass having an index of refraction and having a composition consisting essentially of a fluoride glass containing NdF.sub.3 and a cladding glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluoride glass having an index of refraction less than said core glass index of refraction, said fiber laser system having a laser emission as a result of a transition from an electronic state .sup.4 F.sub.3/2 of Nd.sup.3+ to an electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Nd.sup.3+.
A fiber amplifier system having an active medium comprising a core glass having an index of refraction and having a composition consisting essentially of a fluoride glass containing NdF.sub.3 and a cladding glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluoride glass having an index of refraction less than said core glass index of refraction;
- said fiber amplifier system amplifying at a wavelength as a result of a transition from an electronic state .sup.4 F.sub.3/2 of Nd.sup.3+ to an electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Nd.sup.3+.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.