Single polarization optical fiber laser and amplifier
First Claim
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1. An optically active linear single polarization device, comprising:
- a linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide for propagating light and having a single polarization wavelength range; and
a plurality of active dopants disposed in a portion of the linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide for providing operation of the waveguide in an operating wavelength range for overlapping the single polarization wavelength range, wherein the waveguide comprises a polarization maintaining (PM) fiber having optical fiber polarization components along a first linear polarization characteristic mode and along a second linear polarization characteristic mode with a sufficient differential polarization dependent loss (PDL) between the first and second modes accumulated over a sufficiently long waveguide length such that the first polarization mode has a first attenuation of at least 3dB at a first cut-off wavelength and the second polarization has a second attenuation of at least 3dB at a second cut-off wavelength to provide the single polarization wavelength range having a single polarization center wavelength between the first and second cut-off wavelengths and the first cut-off wavelength is less than the second cut-off wavelength, wherein the single polarization center wavelength is sufficiently close to a center operating wavelength of the operating wavelength range.
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Abstract
An optically active linear single polarization device includes a linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide (30) for propagating light and having single polarization wavelength range (48). A plurality of active dopants are disposed in a portion (34) of the linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide (30) for providing operation of the waveguide in an operating wavelength range (650) for overlapping the single polarization wavelength range (48).
44 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An optically active linear single polarization device, comprising:
- a linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide for propagating light and having a single polarization wavelength range; and
a plurality of active dopants disposed in a portion of the linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide for providing operation of the waveguide in an operating wavelength range for overlapping the single polarization wavelength range, wherein the waveguide comprises a polarization maintaining (PM) fiber having optical fiber polarization components along a first linear polarization characteristic mode and along a second linear polarization characteristic mode with a sufficient differential polarization dependent loss (PDL) between the first and second modes accumulated over a sufficiently long waveguide length such that the first polarization mode has a first attenuation of at least 3dB at a first cut-off wavelength and the second polarization has a second attenuation of at least 3dB at a second cut-off wavelength to provide the single polarization wavelength range having a single polarization center wavelength between the first and second cut-off wavelengths and the first cut-off wavelength is less than the second cut-off wavelength, wherein the single polarization center wavelength is sufficiently close to a center operating wavelength of the operating wavelength range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- a linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic optical waveguide for propagating light and having a single polarization wavelength range; and
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17. A linear single-polarization double-clad fiber laser, comprising:
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a pump source for providing a pump light; a double-clad linearly birefringent and linearly dichroic fiber for propagating light and having a single polarization wavelength range, the fiber having a first end for receiving the pump light and a second end for outputting a laser signal, the fiber including a core for supporting close to a single-mode transmission of the laser signal, the core doped with a plurality of optically excitable dopants having a transition requiring an inversion at a desired signal wavelength of the laser signal; a grating disposed on the fiber for providing feedback over a predetermined narrowband wavelength range within the single polarization wavelength range wherein the fiber supports only a single polarization mode; an inner cladding disposed adjacent to the core for receiving the pump light; and an outer cladding disposed adjacent to the inner cladding having an index of refraction less than the inner cladding for confining the pump light, wherein the core has an elliptical shape to provide a large modal area having a core index delta to provide a numerical aperture of about 0.06 to 0.08.
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Specification