Systems And Methods For Control Of Ultra Short Pulse Amplification

• US 20090323740A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rayd LLC
• Original Assignee: Raydiance, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Inventors: Vaissié, Laurent, Cumbo, Michael J., Farley, Mark, Waarts, Robert G., Mielke, Michael M., Kim, Kyungbum, Stadler, Andrew D., Goldman, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/25
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2706 as bulk elements, i.e. free space arrangements external to a light guide, e.g. polarising beam splitters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2931 Diffractive element operating in reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2932 comprising a directional router, e.g. directional coupler, circulator
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0057 Temporal shaping, e.g. pulse compression, frequency chirping soliton generation and propagation G02F1/3513, H01S3/063 and H01S3/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/083 Ring lasers fibre ring lasers H01S3/06791
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/235 Regenerative amplifiers

Abstract

A method of controlling an ultra-short pulse system is described comprising controlling an optical power within the ultra-short pulse system and control-system controlling a width of an optical pulse. In some embodiments, the method also comprises tuning a compressor by controlling a number of passes of the optical pulse through a Bragg grating to control the width of the optical pulse output from the compressor. In other embodiments, the method may comprise tuning a multi-pass stretcher by controlling a number of passes of the optical pulse through a loop of the multi-pass stretcher to control the width of the optical pulse output from the multi-pass stretcher. A method of controlling an ultra-short pulse system may also comprise accessing a control system from a remotely located command station, communicating status information from the control system to the command station, and communicating information from the command station to the control system.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a high-power, ultra-short pulse system containing a seed source generator generating seed pulses, a pulse stretcher, a power amplifier, a compressor, and a control system, where the pulse stretcher increases a duration of the seed pulses, the power amplifier amplifies a power of the stretched pulses, and the compressor decreases a duration of the amplified pulses, comprising:

controlling at least one of

a) average power output of the compressor to a specified value,

b) output pulse repetition rate to a specified value, and

c) output pulse energy of the compressor to a specified value; and

control-system controlling of at least one of

d) power output of the stretcher,

e) power output of the power amplifier,

f) power output of a seed pulse amplifier optically located between the stretcher and the pulse picker,

g) pulse picker EOM bias current to minimize pulse picker output power level at a given seed amp pump-current,

h) pulse picker output pulse repetition rate,

i) controlling pulse width, and

j) a half-wave plate position to minimize optical power losses in the compressor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

remotely accessing the control system of the high-power, ultra-short pulse system from a remotely located command station; and

providing two-way communication between the command station and the control system to furnish status information from the ultra-short pulse system to the command station and to provide information from the command station to the ultra-short pulse system, wherein the information from the command station includes at least one of

a) remote updating of software of the control system,

b) remotely improving operations of an application of the ultra-short pulse system,

c) remote maintenance of the ultra-short pulse system,

d) remotely controlling operation of an application, and

e) remotely controlling operation of an ultra-short pulse system test.

3. A method of controlling an ultra-short pulse system comprising:

controlling an optical power within an ultra-short pulse system;

control-system controlling a width of an optical pulse; and

tuning a compressor by controlling a number of passes of the optical pulse through a Bragg grating to control the width of the optical pulse output from the compressor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising control-system controlling a power output of a stretcher.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising control-system controlling a power output of an amplifier.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising control-system controlling a pulse picker output pulse repetition rate.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising control-system controlling a half-wave plate position to minimize optical power losses in the compressor.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising control-system controlling a pulse picker to minimize a pulse picker output power level.

9. A method of controlling an ultra-short pulse system comprising:

controlling an optical power within an ultra-short pulse system;

control-system controlling a width of an optical pulse; and

tuning a multi-pass stretcher by controlling a number of passes of the optical pulse through a loop of the multi-pass stretcher to control the width of the optical pulse output from the multi-pass stretcher.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising control-system controlling a power output of the multi-pass stretcher.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising control-system controlling a power output of an amplifier.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising control-system controlling a pulse picker output pulse repetition rate.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising control-system controlling a half-wave plate position to minimize optical power losses in a compressor.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising control-system controlling a pulse picker to minimize a pulse picker output power level.

15. A method of controlling an ultra-short pulse system comprising:

accessing a control system of an ultra-short pulse system from a remotely located command station;

receiving ultra-short pulse system status information from the control system at the command station; and

communicating information from the command station to the control system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information from the command station includes a control system software update.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information from the command station includes improving operations of an application of the ultra-short pulse system.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the information from the command station includes remote maintenance of the ultra-short pulse system.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the information from the command station includes remotely controlling operation of an application of the ultra-short pulse system.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the information from the command station includes remotely controlling operation of an ultra-short pulse system test.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the information from the command station includes tuning a compressor by controlling a number of passes of an optical pulse through a Bragg grating to control a width of the optical pulse output from the compressor.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the information from the command station includes tuning a multi-pass stretcher by controlling a number of passes of an optical pulse through a loop of the multi-pass stretcher to control a width of the optical pulse output from the multi-pass stretcher.