Optical: systems and elements – Optical amplifier
Patent
1994-06-14
1995-07-25
Hellner, Mark
Optical: systems and elements
Optical amplifier
359337, H01S 318
Patent
active
054367590
ABSTRACT:
A low-noise optical amplifier solves crosstalk problems in optical amplifiers by using an optical cavity oriented off-axis (e.g. perpendicular) to the direction of a signal amplified by the gain medium of the optical amplifier. Several devices are used to suppress parasitic lasing of these types of structures. The parasitic lasing causes the gain of these structures to be practically unusable. The lasing cavity is operated above threshold and the gain of the laser is clamped to overcome the losses of the cavity. Any increase in pumping causes the lasing power to increase. The clamping action of the gain greatly reduces crosstalk due to gain saturation for the amplified signal beam. It also reduces other nonlinearities associated with the gain medium such as four-wave mixing induced crosstalk. This clamping action can occur for a bandwidth defined by the speed of the laser cavity. The lasing field also reduces the response time of the gain medium. By having the lasing field off-axis, no special coatings are needed. Other advantages are that the lasing field is easily separated from the amplified signal and the carrier grating fluctuations induced by four-wave mixing are decreased. Two related methods reduce the amplified spontaneous emission power without sacrificing the gain of the optical amplifier.
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Deri Robert J.
Dijaili Sol P.
Patterson Frank G.
Hellner Mark
Sartorio Henry P.
The Regents of the University of California
Wooldridge John P.
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