Pulsed laser sources
First Claim
1. A frequency comb source for producing a frequency comb, said frequency comb source comprising:
- a mode-locked fiber oscillator comprising a resonant Fabry-Perot optical cavity having a cavity length, L, said mode-locked fiber oscillator outputting optical pulses and corresponding frequency components separated by a frequency spacing, frep and offset from a reference frequency by a frequency offset, fceo;
a non-linear optical element positioned to receive said optical pulses, said non-linear optical element having sufficient optical non-linearity to generate additional frequency components that together with said plurality of frequency components output by said mode-locked oscillator form a first set of frequencies separated by said frequency spacing, frep and offset from said reference frequency by said frequency offset, fceo;
an interferometer optically coupled to receive said first set of frequencies, said interferometer comprising a frequency shifter that receives said first set of frequencies and that superimposes a second set of frequencies on said first set of frequencies received by said frequency shifter, said second set of frequencies interfering with said first set of frequencies to produce beat frequencies; and
an optical detector optically receiving said beat frequencies, said optical detector having an output for outputting said beat frequencies.
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Abstract
Various embodiments include modelocked fiber laser resonators that may be coupled with optical amplifiers. An isolator may separate the laser resonator from the amplifier, although certain embodiments exclude such an isolator. A reflective optical element on one end of the resonator having a relatively low reflectivity may be employed to couple light from the laser resonator to the amplifier. Enhanced pulse-width control may be provided with concatenated sections of both polarization-maintaining and non-polarization-maintaining fibers. Apodized fiber Bragg gratings and integrated fiber polarizers may be also be included in the laser cavity to assist in linearly polarizing the output of the cavity. Very short pulses with a large optical bandwidth may be obtained by matching the dispersion value of the fiber Bragg grating to the inverse of the dispersion of the intra-cavity fiber. Frequency comb sources may be constructed from such modelocked fiber oscillators. In various exemplary embodiments, low dispersion and an in-line interferometer that provides feedback, assist in controlling the frequency components output from the comb source.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A frequency comb source for producing a frequency comb, said frequency comb source comprising:
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a mode-locked fiber oscillator comprising a resonant Fabry-Perot optical cavity having a cavity length, L, said mode-locked fiber oscillator outputting optical pulses and corresponding frequency components separated by a frequency spacing, frep and offset from a reference frequency by a frequency offset, fceo; a non-linear optical element positioned to receive said optical pulses, said non-linear optical element having sufficient optical non-linearity to generate additional frequency components that together with said plurality of frequency components output by said mode-locked oscillator form a first set of frequencies separated by said frequency spacing, frep and offset from said reference frequency by said frequency offset, fceo; an interferometer optically coupled to receive said first set of frequencies, said interferometer comprising a frequency shifter that receives said first set of frequencies and that superimposes a second set of frequencies on said first set of frequencies received by said frequency shifter, said second set of frequencies interfering with said first set of frequencies to produce beat frequencies; and an optical detector optically receiving said beat frequencies, said optical detector having an output for outputting said beat frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of producing a frequency comb, said method comprising:
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substantially mode-locking longitudinal modes of a fiber laser cavity so as to produce laser pulses; propagating said laser pulses through a non-linear optical element so as to produce a first plurality of frequency components offset from a reference frequency by frequency offset, fceo; propagating said laser pulses along an optical path that leads to an optical detector; generating a second plurality of frequency components from said first plurality of frequency components and propagating said first and second plurality of frequency components on said optical path leading to said optical detector; interfering said first plurality of optical components with said second set of optical components along said optical path to said optical detector so as to produce at least one beat frequency; and using said at least one beat frequency to stabilize said offset frequency, fceo. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A frequency comb source comprising:
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a mode-locked fiber oscillator comprising an optical fiber and a pair of reflective optical elements that form an optical cavity that supports a plurality of optical modes, said mode-locked fiber oscillator mode-locking said optical modes to produce optical pulses and frequency components having a frequency spacing, frep, and offset from a reference frequency by a frequency offset, fceo; a substantially non-linear optical element disposed to receive said optical pulses, said substantially non-linear optical element having sufficient optical non-linearity to generate additional frequency components that together with said frequency components output from said mode-locked fiber oscillator form a first plurality of frequency components spaced by said frequency spacing, frep, and offset from said reference frequency by said frequency offset, fceo; an interferometer that interferes a second plurality of optical frequency components with said first plurality of frequency components thereby producing beat frequencies; and an optical detector optically connected to said interferometer to detect said beat frequencies, said optical detector having an output that outputs said beat frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification