Controllable multi-wavelength laser source
First Claim
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1. A laser system, comprising:
- a laser source which generates an input beam having a first wavelength;
a polarization controller having one or more polarization controlling components that receive the input beam, the polarization controller controlling a polarization of the input beam;
a wavelength converter which receives the input beam from the polarization controller at a first wavelength and generates a wavelength converted beam in which at least a portion of beam power at the first wavelength is converted into beam power at a second wavelength,wherein the wavelength converter comprises a polarization sensitive non-linear crystal, wherein the wavelength conversion efficiency is determined by phase matching,wherein the polarization controller is arranged in such a way that the relative power at each of the first and second wavelengths is controllable, and the laser system output comprises signal power at both the first and second wavelengths, andan optical phase compensator disposed downstream from the wavelength converter, the optical phase compensator comprising a birefringent optical component and having the same optical axis or parallel optical axis of opposite sign, relative to that of the nonlinear crystal.
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Abstract
In at least one embodiment a laser system includes a fiber laser source, a polarization controller and a wavelength converter. The relative power distribution between a pump wavelength and a signal wavelength is controllable using the polarization controller. An optional phase compensator is used to control polarization state of the output laser beam. In various embodiments the relative power distribution among multiple wavelengths may be controlled over a range of at least about 100:1.
26 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A laser system, comprising:
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a laser source which generates an input beam having a first wavelength; a polarization controller having one or more polarization controlling components that receive the input beam, the polarization controller controlling a polarization of the input beam; a wavelength converter which receives the input beam from the polarization controller at a first wavelength and generates a wavelength converted beam in which at least a portion of beam power at the first wavelength is converted into beam power at a second wavelength, wherein the wavelength converter comprises a polarization sensitive non-linear crystal, wherein the wavelength conversion efficiency is determined by phase matching, wherein the polarization controller is arranged in such a way that the relative power at each of the first and second wavelengths is controllable, and the laser system output comprises signal power at both the first and second wavelengths, and an optical phase compensator disposed downstream from the wavelength converter, the optical phase compensator comprising a birefringent optical component and having the same optical axis or parallel optical axis of opposite sign, relative to that of the nonlinear crystal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. A laser system, comprising:
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a fiber-based laser source which generates an input beam having a first wavelength; a polarization controller having one or more polarization controlling components that receive the input beam, the polarization controller controlling a polarization of the input beam; a wavelength converter which receives the input beam from the polarization controller and generates a wavelength converted beam in which at least a portion of beam power at the first wavelength is converted into beam power at a second wavelength, wherein the polarization controller is arranged in such a way that the relative power at each of the first and second wavelengths is controllable, and the laser system output comprises signal power at both the first and second wavelengths; wherein the wavelength converter comprises a polarization sensitive non-linear crystal, wherein the wavelength conversion efficiency is determined by phase matching, an optical phase compensator disposed downstream from the wavelength converter, the optical phase compensator comprising a birefringent optical component and having the same optical axis or parallel optical axis of opposite sign, relative to that of the nonlinear crystal; and a spectral selective filter to select either the first wavelength or the second wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification