Inexpensive variable rep-rate source for high-energy, ultrafast lasers
First Claim
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1. A combination comprising:
- a light source;
a modulator arranged to receive an output of said light source and outputting pulses having a pulse width of less than or equal to approximately 10 ns at a repetition rate in a range of from 1 kHz to less than 10 MHz;
an amplifier arranged to amplify pulses output by said modulator; and
a fiber with net positive group-velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation receiving an output of said amplifier and spectrally broadening said pulses.
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Abstract
System for converting relatively long pulses from rep-rate variable ultrafast optical sources to shorter, high-energy pulses suitable for sources in high-energy ultrafast lasers. Fibers with positive group velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation are advantageously employed with the optical sources. These systems take advantage of the need for higher pulse energies at lower repetition rates so that such sources can be cost effective.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A combination comprising:
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a light source; a modulator arranged to receive an output of said light source and outputting pulses having a pulse width of less than or equal to approximately 10 ns at a repetition rate in a range of from 1 kHz to less than 10 MHz; an amplifier arranged to amplify pulses output by said modulator; and a fiber with net positive group-velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation receiving an output of said amplifier and spectrally broadening said pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A combination comprising:
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a laser source, said source comprising a laser diode; a modulator arranged to receive an output of said source and outputting pulses which have pulse widths of less than or equal to approximately 10 ns at a repetition rate in the range from 1 kHz to less than 10 MHz; a fiber amplifier having a doped gain medium and disposed to amplify said pulses output from said modulator; a fiber with net positive group-velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation receiving an output of said amplifier and spectrally broadening said pulses. a compressor, at least a portion thereof comprising a length of fiber, wherein said fiber amplifier, said fiber, and said fiber portion within said compressor are configured such that the power density of a laser pulse therein is sufficiently low to substantially avoid conversion of a pulse frequency to a shifted frequency by Raman generation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A combination comprising:
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a light source; a modulator arranged to receive output of said light source and outputting pulses which have a pulse width of less than or equal to approximately 10 ns at a repetition rate in a range of 1 kHz to less than 10 MHz; an amplifier arranged to amplify pulses output by said modulator; and
a fiber with positive group-velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation receiving an output of said amplifier.
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Specification