Compact optical frequency comb systems
First Claim
1. A frequency comb laser generating an output pulse train characterized by having a repetition rate and a carrier envelope offset frequency, said frequency comb laser comprising:
- a mode locked oscillator having a laser cavity comprising a solid-state or a fiber gain medium;
a saturable absorber to induce passive mode locking, said saturable absorber disposed in said cavity at a first cavity end;
a pump source for optically pumping said gain medium of said mode locked oscillator; and
an element disposed external to said gain medium, said element configured as part of said laser cavity and configured as a loss modulator to modulate the loss of said laser cavity;
wherein said element comprises a material operatively connected to an electrical source, said cavity loss modulation being induced by an electric field generated by said electrical source and applied to said material in such a way as to modulate a reflectivity of said loss modulator,wherein said element is configured as a loss modulator located at said first cavity end and attached to said saturable absorber so as to form an integral loss modulator/saturable absorber structure (LMSA), said loss modulator operably arranged for control of one or both of said repetition rate or said carrier envelope offset frequency of said frequency comb laser,wherein said loss modulator/saturable absorber structure (LMSA) comprises a graphene loss modulator.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Compact optical frequency sources are described. The comb source may include an intra-cavity optical element having a multi-material integrated structure with an electrically controllable active region. The active region may comprise a thin film. By way of example, the thin film and an insulating dielectric material disposed between two electrodes can provide for rapid loss modulation. In some embodiments the thin film may comprise graphene. In various embodiments of a frequency comb laser, rapid modulation of the CEO frequency can be implemented via electric modulation of the transmission or reflection loss of an additional optical element, which can be the saturable absorber itself. In another embodiment, the thin film can also be used as a saturable absorber in order to facilitate passive modelocking. In some implementations the optical element may be formed on a cleaved or polished end of an optical fiber.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A frequency comb laser generating an output pulse train characterized by having a repetition rate and a carrier envelope offset frequency, said frequency comb laser comprising:
-
a mode locked oscillator having a laser cavity comprising a solid-state or a fiber gain medium; a saturable absorber to induce passive mode locking, said saturable absorber disposed in said cavity at a first cavity end; a pump source for optically pumping said gain medium of said mode locked oscillator; and an element disposed external to said gain medium, said element configured as part of said laser cavity and configured as a loss modulator to modulate the loss of said laser cavity;
wherein said element comprises a material operatively connected to an electrical source, said cavity loss modulation being induced by an electric field generated by said electrical source and applied to said material in such a way as to modulate a reflectivity of said loss modulator,wherein said element is configured as a loss modulator located at said first cavity end and attached to said saturable absorber so as to form an integral loss modulator/saturable absorber structure (LMSA), said loss modulator operably arranged for control of one or both of said repetition rate or said carrier envelope offset frequency of said frequency comb laser, wherein said loss modulator/saturable absorber structure (LMSA) comprises a graphene loss modulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A frequency comb laser generating an output pulse train characterized by having a repetition rate and a carrier envelope offset frequency, said frequency comb laser comprising:
-
a mode locked oscillator having a laser cavity comprising a solid-state or a fiber gain medium; a saturable absorber to induce passive mode locking, said saturable absorber disposed in said cavity at a first cavity end; a pump source for optically pumping said gain medium of said mode locked oscillator; and an element disposed external to said gain medium, said element configured as part of said laser cavity and configured as a loss modulator to modulate the loss of said laser cavity;
wherein said element comprises a material operatively connected to an electrical source, said cavity loss modulation being induced by an electric field generated by said electrical source and applied to said material in such a way as to modulate a reflectivity of said loss modulator,wherein said element is configured as a loss modulator located at said first cavity end and attached to said saturable absorber so as to form an integral loss modulator/saturable absorber structure (LMSA), said loss modulator operably arranged for control of one or both of said repetition rate or said carrier envelope offset frequency of said frequency comb laser, wherein said loss modulator/saturable absorber structure (LMSA) comprises at least one graphene layer, said at least one graphene layer being implemented as a portion of said loss modulator for carrier envelope offset frequency control.
-
-
15. A frequency comb laser generating an output pulse train characterized by having a repetition rate and a carrier envelope offset frequency, said frequency comb laser comprising:
-
a mode locked oscillator having a laser cavity comprising a solid-state or a fiber gain medium; a saturable absorber to induce passive mode locking, said saturable absorber disposed in said cavity at a first cavity end; a pump source for optically pumping said gain medium of said mode locked oscillator; and an element disposed external to said gain medium, said element configured as part of said laser cavity and configured as a loss modulator to modulate the loss of said laser cavity;
wherein said element comprises a material operatively connected to an electrical source, said cavity loss modulation being induced by an electric field generated by said electrical source and applied to said material in such a way as to modulate a reflectivity of said loss modulator,wherein said element is configured as a loss modulator located at said first cavity end and attached to said saturable absorber so as to form an integral loss modulator/saturable absorber structure (LMSA), said loss modulator operably arranged for control of one or both of said repetition rate or said carrier envelope offset frequency of said frequency comb laser, wherein said loss modulator/saturable absorber structure comprises a single graphene layer configured as a controllable loss modulator for carrier envelope offset frequency control.
-
Specification