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US 7,054,339 B1Granted
Fiber-laser-based Terahertz sources through difference frequency generation (DFG) by nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals
AssigneeNP Photonics, Inc.
InventorsYongdan Hu, Shibin Jiang
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Abstract
A fiber-laser-based implementation of a Terahertz source through difference frequency generation (DFG) by nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals is compact, tunable and scalable. A pair of fiber lasers (Q-switched, CW or mode-locked) generate single-frequency outputs at frequencies ω1 and ω2. A fiber beam combiner combines the laser outputs and routes the combined output to a THz generator head where a nonlinear interaction process in the NLO crystal generates THz radiation.
Claims17
A Terahertz (THz) source, comprising:
- A THz generator head including a nonlinear optic (NLO) crystal;
- A first fiber laser configured to generate a first laser output at a frequency ω1;
- A second fiber laser configured to generate a second laser output at a frequency ω2;
- and
- A beam combiner configured to combine the first and second laser outputs and routes the combined output to the THz generator head where a nonlinear interaction process in the NLO crystal generates THz radiation that is output from the head.
2 more elements
A Terahertz (THz) source comprising:
- First and second Q-switched fiber lasers configured to generate first and second laser pulses at frequency ω1 and ω2, respectively, where each said Q-switched fiber laser, comprises:
- a polarization-dependent resonant cavity including a fiber chain having a gain medium between narrowband and broadband fiber gratings;
- a pump source that couples energy into the fiber chain to pump the gain medium;
- and
- a modulator that applies stress to the fiber chain to induce birefringence and switch the cavity Q-factor to alternately store energy in the gain medium and then release the energy of the laser output in a laser pulse;
- and
- A beam combiner configured to combine the first and second laser pulses and routes the combined output to the THz generator head where a nonlinear interaction process in the NLO crystal generates THz radiation that is output from the head.
4 more elements
A Terahertz (THz) source, comprising:
- A THz generator head including a nonlinear optic (NLO) crystal;
- A first Q-switched fiber laser configured to generate a first laser pulse at a frequency ω1;
- A second Q-switched fiber laser configured to generate a second laser pulse at a frequency ω2, said first and second Q-switched fiber lasers being configured so that their laser pulses overlap temporally;
- and
- A beam combiner configured to combine the first and second laser pulses and routes the combined output to the THz generator head where a nonlinear interaction process in the NLO crystal generates THz radiation that is output from the head.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.