US 7,003,010 B2 · Multi-group multi-wavelength laser matrix

Abstract

A laser system capable of producing multiple groups of output wavelengths is disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical fiber bundle doped with erbium (Er) or erbium/ytterbium (Er/Yb) is perpendicularly attached to an optical device, which serves as a guided-mode resonance feedback mirror, to form a fiber laser matrix. The optical device contains a substrate layer, a waveguide layer, and a grating layer, with non-uniform device parameters. The wavelength of the resonant light and its corresponding laser light of an individual optical fiber depends upon the parameters in the location on the optical device where the fiber is attached. In another embodiment, a plurality of active waveguides in a body are attached to an optical device to form a diode-pumped crystal laser matrix with multi-group output wavelengths. The invented laser system is capable of generating laser sources of large channel capacity for the optical network especially for the dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) system.

Claims52

Dependent claims

A laser system comprising:

An optical device comprising:
a substrate layer;
a waveguide layer on the substrate layer;
a grating layer on the waveguide layer on the side opposite to the substrate layer;
and means for varying reflection wavelengths along any direction of the waveguide layer;
At least three active waveguides having first end facets and second end facets, the first end facets of the active waveguides being attached to the optical device with the first end facets being arranged in the form of matrix, the second end facets being coated with a thin-film stack,
At least one light supply module which is capable of generating pumping light with its energy sufficiently high for exciting the active waveguides;
the thin-film stack on the second facets being substantially transparent to the pumping light but is optically reflective to the light for output;
Means for coupling laser lights from the laser system for output.

6 more elements

A laser system comprising:

a body having a first surface on one side of the body and a second surface on the opposite side of the body;
at least three active waveguides arranged in the form of an matrix in the body;
each of the active waveguide having a first end facet failing in the first surface of the body and a second end facet falling in the second surface of the body, the wave propagating direction of each of the activeguides being perpendicular to the second surface of the body, the second surface of the body being coated with a high-reflection thin-film stack;
An optical device comprising:
a substrate layer;
a waveguide layer on the substrate layer;
a grating layer on the waveguide layer on the waveguide layer on the side opposite to the substrate layer;
and means for varying reflection wavelengths along any direction of the waveguide layer, the optical device being substantially parallel with the second surface of the body whereby the resonant lights from the active waveguides are able to strike different parts of the areas of the optical device during laser operation;
and
At least one pumping diode laser bar installed along the body for exciting the active waveguides;
and
means for coupling laser beams from the laser system for outputs.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-group multi-wavelength laser matrix

Life of this patent

Multi-group multi-wavelength laser matrix

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims52