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US 9,958,252 B1Granted
Intracavity fiber sensors using two orthogonal polarization modes in an optical parametric oscillator cavity coupled to a sensing element
AssigneeStc. Unm
InventorsJean-Claude Diels, Ladan Arissian
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Abstract
Apparatus, systems, and methods of operating a fiber laser having polarization-preserving fibers can be applied as a sensor to detect a physical quantity. In various embodiments, polarization-preserving fibers can provide a laser cavity having an interferometer disposed in the laser cavity. In various embodiments, a fiber optical parametric oscillator can include an interferometer disposed in the cavity of the optical parametric oscillator. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
Claims7
An apparatus comprising:
- a fiber optical parametric oscillator (OPO) including:
- an OPO cavity structured with polarization-preserving fibers configured to propagate two orthogonal polarized modes;
- and
- a resonator disposed in the OPO cavity, the resonator having a reference branch and a sensor branch, the reference branch including polarization-preserving fiber, the reference branch configured to propagate one of the two orthogonal polarized modes, the sensor branch including a mount to hold a sensing element and polarization-preserving fiber, the sensor branch configured to propagate the other one of the two orthogonal polarized modes through or to the sensing element when coupled to the mount;
- and
- a pump laser to pump the fiber OPO to create pulses in the OPO cavity such that two pulses circulate in the OPO cavity, the two pulses being polarized orthogonal to each other.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- operating a fiber optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a laser, the fiber OPO including:
- an OPO cavity structured with polarization-preserving fibers configured to propagate two orthogonal polarized modes;
- and
- a resonator disposed in the OPO cavity, the resonator having a reference branch and a sensor branch, the reference branch including polarization-preserving fiber, the reference branch configured to propagate one of the two orthogonal polarized modes, the sensor branch including a mount to hold a sensing element and polarization-preserving fiber, the sensor branch configured to propagate the other one of the two orthogonal polarized modes through or to the sensing element when coupled to the mount;
- and
- creating pulses in the optical parametric oscillator such that two pulses circulate in the OPO cavity, the two pulses being polarized orthogonal to each other;
- detecting a signal at a frequency proportional to a difference in optical length of the reference branch and the sensor branch in response to the two pulses interfering on a detector.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.