Integrated passively modelocked fiber lasers and method for constructing the same

A method for passively modelocking a fiber laser, comprising the steps of:

• forming a laser cavity from a fiber structure having at least one highly-birefringent fiber gain medium, each said medium having first and second polarization axes, first and second ends of said fiber structure respectively defining first and second ends of the laser cavity;
• pumping laser energy at a pump wavelength into the laser cavity;
• inducing modelocking in the laser cavity along one of the first and second polarization axes of the highly-birefringent fiber gain medium in the absence of any non-fiber, intra-cavity, polarization-manipulating elements by coupling a reflector to the first end of the laser cavity and by coupling a saturable absorber to the second end of the laser cavity;
• and
• outputting laser energy from the laser cavity at a signal wavelength.

A modelocked fiber laser, comprising:

• a pump laser for generating laser energy at a pump wavelength;
• a highly-birefringent fiber gain medium having first and second polarization axes, for amplifying the laser energy at a signal wavelength;
• a reflector for reflecting the laser energy through said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium;
• a saturable absorber for inducing modelocking of said fiber laser along either one of said first and second polarization axes of said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium in the absence of any non-fiber, intra-cavity, polarization-manipulating elements;
• and
• an output for outputting the laser energy.

A modelocked fiber laser, comprising:

• a pump laser for generating laser energy at a pump wavelength;
• a highly-birefringent fiber gain medium having first and second polarization axes, for amplifying the laser energy at a signal wavelength;
• a reflector for reflecting the laser energy through said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium;
• a saturable absorber for inducing modelocking of said fiber laser along either one of said first and second polarization axes of said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium;
• and
• an output for outputting the laser energy.

A modelocked fiber laser, comprising:

• a pump laser for generating laser energy at a pump wavelength;
• a highly-birefringent double-clad fiber gain medium having first and second polarization axes, for amplifying the laser energy at a signal wavelength;
• a side-pumping device for coupling said pump laser to said highly-birefringent double-clad fiber gain medium;
• a reflector for reflecting the laser energy through said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium;
• a saturable absorber for inducing modelocking of said fiber laser along either one of said first and second polarization axes of said highly-birefringent double-clad fiber gain medium;
• and
• an output for outputting the laser energy.

A modelocked fiber laser, comprising:

• a pump laser for generating laser energy at a pump wavelength;
• a highly-birefringent fiber gain medium having first and second polarization axes and having first and second ends which respectively define first and second ends of a laser cavity for amplifying the laser energy at a signal wavelength;
• a reflector coupled to the first end of said laser cavity, for reflecting the laser energy through said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium;
• a saturable absorber for inducing modelocking of said fiber laser along either of said first and second polarization axes of said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium;
• and
• an output for outputting the laser energy amplified within said laser cavity.