US5530582A
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Fiber source for seeding an ultrashort optical pulse amplifier
Assignee: Clark MXR Inc
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Filing: 1995-04-24
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Granted: 1996-06-25
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Expires: 2015-04-24
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for seeding a solid-state, ultrashort optical pulse amplifier system comprises an excitation source that pumps a gain medium which is restricted to the core of an optical fiber. The gain medium is disposed in a resonant cavity with components arranged to produce ultrashort pulses of light at a fundamental wavelength. Such systems are well known to those skilled in the art. These ultrashort pulses are then frequency-doubled in a non-linear crystal to produce a seed pulse whose doubled frequency substantially matches that of the amplifier gain medium. These seed pulses are then injected into the amplifier wherein they are amplified.
Inventors
- 👤 William G. Clark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/29; H04B10/291; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/35; G02F1/37; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/067; H01S3/06708; H01S3/06725; H01S3/06754
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 61
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for amplifying ultrashort pulses of light, comprising: a solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses having a fundamental wavelength of operation in the range of 1-3 microns; a solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier having a gain bandwidth that does not overlap the fundamental wavelength of operation of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses; and a frequency converter disposed between said solid-state source of ultrashort pulses and said solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier for converting the fundamental wavelength light output of the solid state source of ultrashort optical pulses to a wavelength that overlaps the gain bandwidth of the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for amplifying ultrashort pulses of light, comprising: a solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses having a fundamental wavelength of operation in the range of 1-3 microns; a solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier having a gain bandwidth that does not overlap the fundamental wavelength of operation of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses; and a frequency converter disposed between said solid-state source of ultrashort pulses and said solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier for converting the fundamental wavelength light output of the solid state source of ultrashort optical pulses to a wavelength that overlaps the gain bandwidth of the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier is selected from a group consisting of a regenerative-type amplifier, a multipass-type amplifier, or an amplifier containing elements of both a regenerative-type amplifier and a multipass-type amplifier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses comprises a fiber-optic gain medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses for pumping said solid-state source of optical pulses selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, or a diode MOPA system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier for pumping said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a diode MOPA system, a frequency doubled, Q-switched YAG laser, or a frequency-doubled, Q-switched YLF laser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which said solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses comprises a fiber-optic gain medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses for pumping said solid-state source of optical pulses selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, or a diode MOPA system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier for pumping said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a diode MOPA system, a frequency doubled, Q-switched YAG laser, or a frequency-doubled, Q-switched YLF laser.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF, or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said fiber-optic gain medium for pumping said fiber-optic gain medium selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, or a diode MOPA system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier for pumping said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a diode MOPA system, a frequency doubled, Q-switched YAG laser, or a frequency-doubled, Q-switched YLF laser.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 3 comprising a plurality of optical fibers arranged in an oscillator amplifier configuration that together form the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which said fiber-optic gain medium is an Erbium-doped fiber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier for pumping said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a diode MOPA system, a frequency doubled, Q-switched YAG laser, or a frequency-doubled, Q-switched YLF laser.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 4 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 4 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses for pumping said solid-state source of optical pulses selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, or a diode MOPA system.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier for pumping said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a diode MOPA system, a frequency doubled, Q-switched YAG laser, or a frequency-doubled, Q-switched YLF laser.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 16 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 16 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 17 in which said plurality of optical fibers arranged in an oscillator amplifier configuration that together form the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses comprises an Erbium-doped fiber.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 17 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising an excitation source optically coupled to said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier for pumping said solid-state ultrashort pulse amplifier selected from a group comprising a laser diode, a plurality of laser diodes, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a diode MOPA system, a frequency doubled, Q-switched YAG laser, or a frequency-doubled, Q-switched YLF laser.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 17 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 4 in which the solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire, Alexandrite, Li:SAF, Li:SGAF, Li:CAF or ZBLAN fiber.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 17 in which said frequency converter is a crystal for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental of the solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of amplifying ultrashort pulses of light, comprising: generating pulses from a solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses having a fundamental wavelength of operation in the range of 1-3 microns; frequency converting said pulses to a wavelength overlapping the gain bandwidth of a solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier; injecting said frequency converted pulses into a solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier for amplifying them therein.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of amplifying ultrashort pulses of light, comprising: generating pulses from a solid-state source of ultrashort optical pulses having a fundamental wavelength of operation in the range of 1-3 microns; frequency converting said pulses to a wavelength overlapping the gain bandwidth of a solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier; injecting said frequency converted pulses into a solid-state ultrashort optical pulse amplifier for amplifying them therein.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 34 in which converting said pulses comprises frequency doubling the pulses.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of dechirping the pulses prior to the step of frequency converting the pulses.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of amplifying the pulses prior to the frequency doubling step.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of amplifying the pulses subsequent to the frequency doubling step.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of seeding a regenerative amplifier having a given peak operating wavelength from a source of seed oscillations, comprising the steps of: optically pumping an optical fiber light source to generate an output pulse having a fundamental wavelength that is greater than the peak operating wavelength of the regenerative amplifier; frequency converting the fundamental wavelength output pulse to generate a pulse having a wavelength substantially equal to the peak operating wavelength of the regenerative amplifier; and optically coupling the frequency converted pulse into a gain medium of the regenerative amplifier.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of seeding a regenerative amplifier having a given peak operating wavelength from a source of seed oscillations, comprising the steps of: optically pumping an optical fiber light source to generate an output pulse having a fundamental wavelength that is greater than the peak operating wavelength of the regenerative amplifier; frequency converting the fundamental wavelength output pulse to generate a pulse having a wavelength substantially equal to the peak operating wavelength of the regenerative amplifier; and optically coupling the frequency converted pulse into a gain medium of the regenerative amplifier.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 39 in which the step of optically pumping an optical fiber light source to generate an output pulse comprises incoherently pumping the fiber source.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 39 in which the step of optically pumping an optical fiber light source to generate an output pulse comprises coherently pumping the fiber source.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 39 in which the step of optically pumping an optical fiber light source to generate an output pulse comprises generating an output pulse having a FWHM less than about 1 nanosecond.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 42 in which the step of frequency converting the fundamental wavelength output pulse comprises generating a pulse having a FWHM less than the FWHM of the fundamental pulse.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 39 in which the step of optically pumping an optical fiber light source to generate an output pulse comprises generating an output pulse having a wavelength of approximately 1550 nanometers.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 44 in which the step of frequency converting the fundamental wavelength output pulse comprises generating a frequency converted pulse having a wavelength of approximately 780 nanometers.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 39 in which the step of frequency converting the fundamental wavelength output pulse comprises frequency doubling the fundamental to obtain a second harmonic wavelength.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
72 words
A regenerative optical amplifier system for ultrashort pulse generation, comprising: a pumped optical fiber source that produces a light output having a fundamental wavelength; a regenerative amplifier having a peak operating wavelength, arranged to receive said light output; and a frequency converter disposed between said fiber source and said regenerative amplifier for converting the fundamental wavelength light output to a wavelength substantially equal to the peak operating wavelength of the regenerative amplifier.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
72 words
A regenerative optical amplifier system for ultrashort pulse generation, comprising: a pumped optical fiber source that produces a light output having a fundamental wavelength; a regenerative amplifier having a peak operating wavelength, arranged to receive said light output; and a frequency converter disposed between said fiber source and said regenerative amplifier for converting the fundamental wavelength light output to a wavelength substantially equal to the peak operating wavelength of the regenerative amplifier.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
61 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 in which the fundamental light output of the fiber source comprises a pulse having a full width at half maximum (FWHM) less than approximately 1 nanosecond, and further in which the frequency converted light output from the frequency converter comprises a pulse having a FWHM less than the FWHM of the fundamental pulse.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
25 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 further comprising a light emitting diode optically coupled to said fiber source for pumping the fiber source.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
18 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 49 in which the light emitting diode comprises a diode laser.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
18 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 in which the regenerative amplifier comprises a Ti:Sapphire gain medium.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
20 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 in which the pumped optical fiber source comprises an Erbium-doped fiber laser.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
28 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 52 in which the regenerative amplifier comprises a gain medium selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti:Sapphire and Alexandrite.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
25 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 in which the frequency converter is a frequency doubler for producing a second harmonic of the fundamental.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
18 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 in which the frequency converter is an optically nonlinear crystal.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
17 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 in which the fundamental wavelength is approximately 1550 nanometers.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
19 words
The regenerative optical amplifier system of claim 47 in which the frequency converted fundamental wavelength is approximately 780 nanometers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-25 | 1999-12-25 | 2000-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-25 | 2003-12-25 | 2004-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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