Coherent light generators – Particular beam control device – Mode locking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2001-10-02
Font, Frank G. (Department: 2874)
Coherent light generators
Particular beam control device
Mode locking
C372S006000, C359S341430, C359S199200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298074
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a mode-locked fiber laser and fiber amplifier using a single pump laser. The fiber laser uses a pump source to generate a soliton optical short pulse and the fiber amplifier amplifies the optical short pulse.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, a soliton pulse generated by optical fiber laser is desirable in the area of high-speed optical communication since it has a short pulse width. A conventional passive mode-locked optical fiber laser requires an increased output of a pump source to generate a soliton pulse and the generated pulse is oscillated as a form of bunch. Therefore, in order to generate a soliton optical short pulse, the output of the pump source needs to be down to threshold current.
Previous studies have been conducted by D. I. Laming, D. N. Payne, V. J. Matsas, M. W. Philips in April and August, 1991.
The title of the technical paper published in April 1991 is “320 fs soliton generation with passively mode locked erbium fiber laser”, IEEE Electronics Letters, Vol. 27, No. 9, pp. 730~732. The title of the technical paper published in August 1991 is “Pulse repetition rates in passive, selfstarting, femtosecond soliton fiber laser”, IEEE Electronics Letters, Vol. 27, No. 16, pp. 1451~1453.
According to these previous studies, optical fiber lasers autonomously generate a pulse by increasing pump output and a multiple soliton optical pulse is generated within a period. When pump output is decreased slowly in the state, the number of multiple soliton optical pulses is decreased. When the pump current gets close to the threshold current, one soliton optical pulse is generated within a period.
However, when the pump current gets decreased close to the threshold current, the output of the soliton optical short pulse generated by the optical fiber laser may have a seriously low value and therefore efficiency of the pump output is lowered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A mode-locked fiber laser and fiber amplifier using a single pump laser is provided.
The mode-locked fiber laser and fiber amplifier using the single pump laser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a tunable directional coupler, a mode-locked fiber laser, and an optical amplifier. The tunable directional coupler is connected to a pump source. The mode-locked fiber laser receives the pump output from the pump source and generates a soliton optical pulse. The mode-locked fiber laser is connected to an output port of the tunable directional coupler. The optical amplifier receives the pump output from the pump source, receives the soliton optical pulse generated by the mode-locked fiber laser, and amplifies the soliton optical pulse. The optical amplifier is connected to the other output port of the tunable directional coupler.
Preferably, the tunable directional coupler adjusts a division rate of the pump output and the pump output is provided to the mode-locked fiber laser and the optical amplifier.
Preferably, the tunable directional coupler connects all of the pump output of the pump source to the mode-locked fiber laser initially for generating a multiple soliton optical pulse at the mode-locked fiber laser and then increases a division rate for generating a single soliton optical pulse at the mode-locked fiber laser. The single soliton optical pulse is amplified by the optical amplifier.
Preferably, the mode-locked fiber laser is a ring-type fiber laser.
Preferably, the mode-locked fiber laser is figure-of-eight type fiber laser.
Preferably, the mode-locked fiber laser is a linear-type fiber laser.
Preferably, the mode-locked fiber laser is a rare-earth doped laser.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5453836 (1995-09-01), Kim et al.
patent: 5497386 (1996-03-01), Fontana
patent: 5577057 (1996-11-01), Frisken
patent: 5617434 (1997-04-01), Tamura et al.
patent: 5734665 (1998-03-01), Jeon et al.
patent: 5790722 (1998-08-01), Minden et al.
patent: 5898716 (1999-04-01), Ahn et al.
Richardson et al., “320fs Soliton Generation With Passively Mode-Locked Erbium Fibre Laser,”IEEE Electronics Letters 27(9):730-732, 1991.
Richardson et al., “Pulse Repetition Rates In Passive, Selfstarting Femtosecond Soliton Fibre Laser,”IEEE Electronics Letters 27(16):1451-1453, 1991.
Grudinin et al., “Energy Quantisation In Figure Eight Fibre Laser,”IEEE Electronics Letters 28(1):67-68, 1992.
Jeon Min Yong
Kang Seung Beom
Kim Kyong Hon
Lee Hak Kyu
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
Font Frank G.
Rodriguez Armando
Seed IP Law Group PLLC
Tarleton E. Russell
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