High power, passively modelocked fiber laser, and method of construction
First Claim
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1. An optical cavity for a short pulse modelocked fiber laser, comprising:
- first and second reflectors which are each at least partially reflecting, respectively defining first and second ends of said cavity;
a fiber including a gain medium disposed between said first and second cavity ends;
a pump signal injector connected to introduce pump light into said fiber toward said first cavity end, said pump light exciting said gain medium to produce a laser signal;
a saturable absorber proximate said first cavity end, said saturable absorber inducing modelocking of said laser signal; and
an output coupler proximate said second cavity end and outcoupling a portion of said laser signal in the form of short output pulses.
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Abstract
The output power of a passively modelocked fiber laser is increased by distributing optical losses throughout the cavity. The laser cavity includes a saturable absorber and a polarizing element that serves as the output coupler, and these are positioned on opposite sides of the fiber gain medium. The pump light is preferably injected towards the side of the laser cavity that includes the saturable absorber. The laser cavity compensates for polarization drifts and is environmentally stable.
182 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An optical cavity for a short pulse modelocked fiber laser, comprising:
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first and second reflectors which are each at least partially reflecting, respectively defining first and second ends of said cavity; a fiber including a gain medium disposed between said first and second cavity ends; a pump signal injector connected to introduce pump light into said fiber toward said first cavity end, said pump light exciting said gain medium to produce a laser signal; a saturable absorber proximate said first cavity end, said saturable absorber inducing modelocking of said laser signal; and an output coupler proximate said second cavity end and outcoupling a portion of said laser signal in the form of short output pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An optical cavity for a short pulse modelocked fiber laser, comprising:
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first and second reflectors which are each at least partially reflecting, respectively defining first and second ends of said cavity; a fiber including a gain medium disposed between said first and second cavity ends; a pump signal injector connected to introduce pump light into said fiber, said pump light exciting said gain medium to produce a laser signal; a saturable absorber proximate said first cavity end, said saturable absorber inducing modelocking of said laser signal; and a polarizing output coupler proximate said second cavity end and outcoupling a portion of said laser signal in the form of short output pulses. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of generating short pulses from a fiber laser, wherein said fiber laser includes (a) a fiber having a gain medium, said fiber disposed between said first and second cavity ends, (b) first and second reflectors which are each at least partially reflecting, respectively defining said first and second cavity ends, and (c) a pump signal injector connected to introduce pump light into said fiber, said pump light exciting said gain medium to produce a laser signal, comprising:
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absorbing a portion of said laser signal proximate said first cavity end to modelock said laser signal; connecting said pump signal injector to inject said pump light toward said first cavity end; and outputting a portion of said laser signal proximate said second cavity end in the form of short output pulses. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of generating short pulses from a fiber laser, wherein said fiber laser includes (a) a fiber having a gain medium, said fiber disposed between said first and second cavity ends, (b) first and second reflectors which are each at least partially reflecting, respectively defining said first and second cavity ends, and (c) a pump signal injector connected to introduce pump light into said fiber, said pump light exciting said gain medium to produce a laser signal, comprising:
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absorbing a portion of said laser signal proximate said first cavity end to modelock said laser signal; and polarizing a portion of said laser signal proximate said second cavity end to output short pulses from said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of producing modelocked laser output pulses from a fiber laser optical cavity, comprising:
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injecting pump light into said fiber laser to generate a laser signal; absorbing a portion of said laser signal to modelock said laser signal; outcoupling a fraction of said laser signal to produce said output pulses; and distributing optical losses within the cavity by undertaking said absorbing and outcoupling steps at opposite ends of said cavity, to enhance the power of said output pulses. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. An optical cavity for a modelocked fiber laser, comprising:
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two reflectors, each at least partially reflecting, said reflectors defining opposite ends of said cavity; a fiber including a gain medium disposed between said opposite ends of said cavity; an optical element for injecting a pump signal into said cavity, the pump signal exciting said gain medium in said fiber to produce a laser signal; a saturable absorber for modelocking said laser signal; and an output coupler for outcoupling a portion of said laser signal, said output coupler and said saturable absorber located within and on said opposite ends of said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of producing modelocked laser output from an optical cavity having a gain medium, comprising:
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amplifying an optical signal in said gain medium to produce an amplified optical signal; directing said amplified optical signal through a saturable absorber to produce a modelocked optical signal; amplifying said modelocked optical signal in said gain medium to produce an amplified modelocked optical signal; and outcoupling a fraction of said amplified modelocked optical signal with a polarizing element.
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45. A method of producing modelocked laser output from an optical cavity having a gain medium, comprising:
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pumping said gain medium with pump light having a first direction; amplifying an optical signal in said gain medium to produce an amplified optical signal; directing said amplified optical signal through a saturable absorber to produce a modelocked optical signal; amplifying said modelocked optical signal by passing said modelocked optical signal through said gain medium in a direction opposite said first direction to produce an amplified modelocked optical signal; and outcoupling a fraction of said amplified modelocked optical signal.
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Specification