Controllabel dual-wavelength operation of modelocked lasers

Claim 2

A laser system, comprising: i. generation means having a single gain medium, for generating light outputs having at least a first wavelength and a second wavelength; ii. first modelocking means for modelocking said first wavelength; iii. second modelocking means for modelocking said second wavelength; iv. output coupling means for coupling said first wavelength and said second wavelength to respective outputs; v. laser excitation means for exciting said gain medium; and vi. at least one laser cavity for said first wavelength and said second wavelength.

Claim 3

A laser system according to claim 1, further comprising wavelength selective elements wherein said elements feed said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 4

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said gain medium has a relaxation time greater than 1 μsec.

Claim 5

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second modelocking means use Kerr-type modelocking.

Claim 6

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said gain medium has a group velocity walk off between pulses of greater than one pulse width.

Claim 7

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said first modelocking means uses a different modelocking mechanism than from said second modelocking means.

Claim 8

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said first modelocking means is positioned in a laser cavity at a location separated from said second modelocking means.

Claim 9

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said gain medium is positioned at a location common to two of said laser cavities.

Claim 10

A laser system according to claim 1, further comprising a wavelength separation means for feeding said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 11

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said laser cavity has at least one end mirror mounted on a translation stage.

Claim 12

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein asynchronous dual-wavelength operation optical modulators are inserted in front of said output couplers.

Claim 13

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said gain medium is inhomogeneously broadened and comprises an Nd doped silica fiber.

Claim 14

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said gain medium is inhomogeneously broadened and comprises an erbium doped fiber cooled to a temperature below room temperature.

Claim 15

A laser system according to claim 13, wherein said second modelocking means comprises a Kerr type nonlinearity.

Claim 16

A laser system according to claim 1, wherein said first modelocking means comprises a saturable absorber.

Claim 17

A laser system comprising: i. a generation means having an inhomogeneously broadened, single gain medium, for generating light outputs at at least a first wavelength and a second wavelength wherein said gain medium has a relaxation time greater than 1 μsec; ii. first active or passive modelocking means for modelocking said first wavelength; iii. second active or passive modelocking means for modelocking said second wavelength; iv. output coupling means for coupling said first wavelength and said second wavelength to respective outputs; v. laser excitation means for exciting said gain medium; vi. at least one laser cavity for said first wavelength and said second wavelength; and vii. wavelength selective elements, wherein said elements feed said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 18

A laser system comprising: i. a generation means having an inhomogeneously broadened, single gain medium, for generating light outputs at at least a first wavelength and a second wavelength wherein said gain medium has a relaxation time greater than 1 μsec; ii. first active or passive modelocking means for modelocking said first wavelength; iii. second active or passive modelocking means for modelocking said second wavelength; iv. output coupling means for coupling said first wavelength and said second wavelength to respective outputs; v. laser excitation means for exciting said gain medium; vi. at least one laser cavity for said first wavelength and said second wavelength; and vii. wavelength selective elements, wherein said elements feed said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 19

A laser system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said wavelength selective elements comprise optical devices including at least one of prisms, gratings, Lyot filters, etalons and dichroic mirrors.

Claim 20

A laser system, comprising: i. a generation means having an inhomogeneously broadened, single gain medium, for generating light outputs at at least a first wavelength and a second wavelength, wherein said gain medium has a group velocity walk off between pulses approximately equal to or greater than one pulse width; ii. first modelocking means for modelocking said first wavelength; iii. second modelocking means for modelocking said second wavelength, wherein said first modelocking means is positioned at a location separated from said second modelocking means; iv. output coupling means for coupling said first wavelength and said second wavelength to respective outputs; v. laser excitation means for exciting said gain medium; vi. at least one laser cavity for each of said first wavelength and said second wavelength, wherein said gain medium is positioned in a location common to said laser cavities; and vii. wavelength selective elements, wherein said elements feed said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 21

A laser system, comprising: i. a generation means having an inhomogeneously broadened, single gain medium, for generating light outputs at at least a first wavelength and a second wavelength, wherein said gain medium has a group velocity walk off between pulses approximately equal to or greater than one pulse width; ii. first modelocking means for modelocking said first wavelength; iii. second modelocking means for modelocking said second wavelength, wherein said first modelocking means is positioned at a location separated from said second modelocking means; iv. output coupling means for coupling said first wavelength and said second wavelength to respective outputs; v. laser excitation means for exciting said gain medium; vi. at least one laser cavity for each of said first wavelength and said second wavelength, wherein said gain medium is positioned in a location common to said laser cavities; and vii. wavelength selective elements, wherein said elements feed said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 22

A laser system, comprising: i. a generation means in the form of a gain medium which generates soliton-like pulse outputs at at least a first wavelength and a second wavelength; ii. first modelocking means for modelocking said first wavelength; iii. second modelocking means for modelocking said second wavelength, wherein said first modelocking means is positioned at a location separated from said second modelocking means and said gain medium; iv. output coupling means for coupling said first wavelength and said second wavelength to respective outputs; v. laser excitation means for exciting said gain medium; vi. at least one laser cavity for each of said first wavelength and said second wavelength, wherein said gain medium is positioned in a location common to said laser cavities; and vii. wavelength selective elements, wherein said elements feed said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 23

A laser system, comprising: i. a generation means in the form of a gain medium which generates soliton-like pulse outputs at at least a first wavelength and a second wavelength; ii. first modelocking means for modelocking said first wavelength; iii. second modelocking means for modelocking said second wavelength, wherein said first modelocking means is positioned at a location separated from said second modelocking means and said gain medium; iv. output coupling means for coupling said first wavelength and said second wavelength to respective outputs; v. laser excitation means for exciting said gain medium; vi. at least one laser cavity for each of said first wavelength and said second wavelength, wherein said gain medium is positioned in a location common to said laser cavities; and vii. wavelength selective elements, wherein said elements feed said first wavelength along a first path and said second wavelength along a second path different from said first path.

Claim 24

A laser system according to claim 19, wherein said gain medium has a relaxation time greater than 1 μsec.