Q-SWITCHED OSCILLATOR SEED-SOURCE FOR MOPA LASER ILLUMINATOR APPARATUS AND METHOD
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Abstract
An apparatus, method and system that uses a Q-switched laser or a Q-seed source for a seed pulse signal having a controlled high-dynamic-range amplitude that avoids and/or compensates for pulse steepening in high-gain optical-fiber and/or optical-rod amplification of optical pulses. Optionally, the optical output is used for LIDAR or illumination purposes (e.g., for image acquisition). In some embodiments, well-controlled pulse shapes are obtained having a wide dynamic range, long duration, and not-too-narrow linewidth. In some embodiments, upon the opening of a Q-switch in an optical cavity having a gain medium, the amplification builds relatively slowly, wherein each round trip through the gain medium increases the amplitude of the optical pulse. Other embodiments use quasi-Q-switch devices or a plurality of amplitude modulators to obtain Q-seed pulses. These configurations provide optical pulses having wide dynamic ranges that ameliorate problems of pulse steepening, non-linear spectral broadening and the like in very-high-power MOPA devices.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. An apparatus comprising:
a Q-switched seed laser, wherein the Q-switched seed laser includes; a first optical pump source, a first optical-gain waveguide optically coupled to receive pump light from the first optical pump source and configured to amplify signal light that propagates through the first optical-gain waveguide, and a solid-state optical amplifier configured to receive the amplified signal light from the first optical-gain waveguide and, in a first mode, configured to attenuate the amplified signal light, and in a second mode, configured to enable generation of a Q-switched pulsed-laser seed signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method comprising:
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providing a first optical-gain waveguide; optically pumping the first optical-gain waveguide in order to amplify signal light propagating through the first optical-gain waveguide; providing a solid-state optical amplifier; and in a first mode of the solid-state optical amplifier, attenuating the amplified signal light, and in a second mode of the solid-state optical amplifier, enabling generation of a Q-switched pulsed-laser seed signal. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. An apparatus comprising:
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a first optical-gain waveguide; means for optically pumping the first optical-gain waveguide in order to amplify signal light propagating through the first optical-gain waveguide; solid-state means for, in a first mode, attenuating the amplified signal light, and in a second mode, enabling generation of a Q-switched pulsed-laser seed signal.
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Specification