Apparatus and method for the generation of high-power femtosecond pulses from a fiber amplifier

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• an amplifier which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• a nonlinear compressor which receives optical pulses produced by said nonlinear amplifier;
• and
• a periodically poled frequency converter which receives optical pulses compressed by said nonlinear compressor and which produces the high-power optical pulses at a frequency-converted wavelength.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• means for generating signal light;
• means for nonlinearly amplifying the signal light;
• and
• means for frequency converting optical pulses produced by said means for nonlinearly amplifying, said means for frequency converting producing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

A method for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising the steps of:

• generating a signal light;
• nonlinearly amplifying the signal light to produce amplified optical pulses;
• and
• frequency converting the amplified optical pulses to produces the high-power optical pulses.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• a nonlinear fiber amplifier, having a nonlinear phase delay, which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• a fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber amplifier;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber amplifier, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• a nonlinear fiber amplifier, having a nonlinear phase delay, which receives the signal light generated by said optical source,
• wherein said nonlinear amplifier comprises a multi-mode amplifier fiber, and
• wherein the signal light is predominantly launched into the fundamental mode of said multi-mode amplifier fiber;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber amplifier, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating optical pulses, comprising:

• a pulse laser source for generating signal light;
• a multi-mode fiber amplifier for amplifying the signal light predominately in a fundamental mode thereof;
• a means for Raman-shifting said fundamental mode;
• and
• frequency conversion means for frequency-converting at least a Raman-shifted fundamental mode output of said multi-mode fiber amplifier.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one nonlinear fiber medium, having a nonlinear phase delay, which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• and at least one fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one fiber medium which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• and at least one fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said fiber medium;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one nonlinear fiber amplifier, having a nonlinear phase delay, which receives the signal light generated by said optical source, and which incorporates at least one pulse compressor for compressing the amplified optical pulses;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one nonlinear fiber medium, having a nonlinear phase delay, which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• and at least one fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium, at least one of said nonlinear fiber medium and said fiber pulse compressor being polarization maintaining;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one fiber amplifier which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• and at least one fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said fiber amplifier;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one fiber amplifier which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• and at least one fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said fiber amplifier, and being polarization maintaining;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one fiber amplifier which receives the signal light generated by said optical source, including at least one integrated fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the amplified optical pulses;
• wherein the refractive index distribution of said pulse compressor is approximately invariant along the fiber length;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one nonlinear fiber medium, having a nonlinear phase delay, which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• and at least one fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one fiber medium which receives the signal light generated by said optical source;
• and at least one fiber pulse compressor disposed to compress the optical pulses output from said fiber medium;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.

An apparatus for generating high-power optical pulses, comprising:

• an optical source which generates signal light;
• at least one nonlinear fiber amplifier, having a nonlinear phase delay, which receives the signal light generated by said optical source, and which incorporates at least one pulse compressor for compressing the amplified optical pulses;
• and
• a frequency converter which receives optical pulses output from said nonlinear fiber medium, said frequency converter providing the high-power optical pulses at an output thereof.