US5268910A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Superluminescent optical source
Assignee: Ciena Corp
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Filing: 1992-07-27
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Granted: 1993-12-07
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Expires: 2012-07-27
Abstract
Abstract An optical source particularly suitable as a pump is provided. A gain medium such as a thulium doped fiber has an input end and an output end. The input end is optically coupled to a reflector to cause spontaneous emissions within a predetermined band exiting the input of the gain medium to be reflected back into the medium. Spontaneous emissions outside of the predetermined band are lost. An optical isolator can be provided to prevent the optical source from lasing, resulting in a moderate bandwidth optical pump. A cascaded embodiment is disclosed, in which the gain medium is followed by an optical amplifier for increased power.
Inventors
- 👤 David R. Huber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 07:52
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/29; H04B10/291; H04B10/2912; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/067; H01S3/0675; H01S3/06795; H04B10/50; H04B10/501; H04B10/506; H01S3/08; H01S3/08086; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094003; H01S3/094023; H04B2210/00; H04B2210/003; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S372/00; Y10S372/703
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
An optical source comprising: a thulium doped optical fiber having an input end and an output end; means for pumping said doped fiber to cause spontaneous emission therein for output from said output end; reflector means for selectively reflecting light over a limited bandwidth encompassing a desired wavelength of said spontaneous emission; and means for optically coupling the input end of said doped fiber to said reflector means to reflect spontaneous emissions within said limited bandwidth exiting the input end of said doped fiber back into said doped fiber for output from said output end, without reflecting light outside of said bandwidth back into said doped fiber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
An optical source comprising: a thulium doped optical fiber having an input end and an output end; means for pumping said doped fiber to cause spontaneous emission therein for output from said output end; reflector means for selectively reflecting light over a limited bandwidth encompassing a desired wavelength of said spontaneous emission; and means for optically coupling the input end of said doped fiber to said reflector means to reflect spontaneous emissions within said limited bandwidth exiting the input end of said doped fiber back into said doped fiber for output from said output end, without reflecting light outside of said bandwidth back into said doped fiber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said spontaneous emission has a bandwidth β; and said reflector means are constructed to set said limited bandwidth to no more than about ten percent of the bandwidth β.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 1 wherein said reflector means comprise an optical fiber grating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 3 wherein: said spontaneous emission has a bandwidth and said grating is constructed to set said limited bandwidth to no more than about ten percent the bandwidth β.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: an optical amplifier coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for increasing the power provided by said optical source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 5 wherein said optical amplifier is a thulium doped fiber amplifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical source in accordance with claim further comprising: optical isolator means coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for preventing the fiber from lasing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: optical isolator means coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for preventing the fiber from lasing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 1 wherein said desired wavelength is about 1.46 microns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 9 wherein said pumping means pump said thulium doped fiber at a wavelength of about 0.79 microns.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 1 comprising a multicore optical fiber, wherein said doped optical fiber is provided as an inner core of said multicore fiber and said pump means include an outer core of said multicore fiber for carrying pump energy to said inner core.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: reflector means coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for causing said fiber to lase.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
127 words
An optical source comprising: a doped optical fiber having an input end and an output end; means for pumping said doped fiber to cause spontaneous emission therein for output from said output end, said spontaneous emission having a bandwidth β; reflector means for selectively reflecting light over a limited bandwidth encompassing a desired wavelength of said spontaneous emission, said limited bandwidth being no more than about ten percent of the bandwidth Å; and means for optically coupling the input end of said doped fiber to said reflector means to reflect spontaneous emissions within said limited bandwidth exiting the input end of said doped fiber back into said doped fiber for output from said output end, without reflecting light outside of said bandwidth back into said doped fiber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
127 words
An optical source comprising: a doped optical fiber having an input end and an output end; means for pumping said doped fiber to cause spontaneous emission therein for output from said output end, said spontaneous emission having a bandwidth β; reflector means for selectively reflecting light over a limited bandwidth encompassing a desired wavelength of said spontaneous emission, said limited bandwidth being no more than about ten percent of the bandwidth Å; and means for optically coupling the input end of said doped fiber to said reflector means to reflect spontaneous emissions within said limited bandwidth exiting the input end of said doped fiber back into said doped fiber for output from said output end, without reflecting light outside of said bandwidth back into said doped fiber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 13 further comprising: optical isolator means coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for preventing the fiber from lasing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 14 further comprising: an optical amplifier coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for increasing the power provided by said optical source.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 13 wherein said reflector means comprise an optical fiber grating.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
127 words
An optical source comprising: a doped optical fiber having an input end and an output end; means for pumping said doped fiber to cause spontaneous emission therein for output from said output end; reflector means for selectively reflecting light over a limited bandwidth encompassing a desired wavelength of said spontaneous emission; means for optically coupling the input end of said doped fiber to said reflector means to reflect spontaneous emissions within said limited bandwidth exiting the input end of said doped fiber back into said doped fiber for output from said output end, without reflecting light outside of said bandwidth back into said doped fiber; and an optical amplifier coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for increasing the power provided by said optical source.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
127 words
An optical source comprising: a doped optical fiber having an input end and an output end; means for pumping said doped fiber to cause spontaneous emission therein for output from said output end; reflector means for selectively reflecting light over a limited bandwidth encompassing a desired wavelength of said spontaneous emission; means for optically coupling the input end of said doped fiber to said reflector means to reflect spontaneous emissions within said limited bandwidth exiting the input end of said doped fiber back into said doped fiber for output from said output end, without reflecting light outside of said bandwidth back into said doped fiber; and an optical amplifier coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for increasing the power provided by said optical source.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 17 wherein said reflector means comprise an optical fiber grating.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 18 further comprising: optical isolator means coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for preventing the fiber from lasing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical source in accordance with claim 17 further comprising: optical isolator means coupled to the output end of said doped fiber for preventing the fiber from lasing.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-12-06 | 1997-06-07 | 1997-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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