Coherent light generators – Optical fiber laser
Patent
1996-12-23
1998-07-07
Healy, Brian
Coherent light generators
Optical fiber laser
372 92, 372 94, 372 96, 372 97, 372 99, 372106, 372 21, 372 22, 356345, 359345, 359346, 385122, 385 42, H01S 330, H01S 300, G01B 902, G02B 600
Patent
active
057780145
ABSTRACT:
A distributed gain medium, such as an optical fiber, is configured as a Sagnac interferometer or loop mirror, and this mirror is used as at least one of the two reflectors in the amplifier or laser. The distributed gain medium produces optical signal gain through nonlinear polarization, that may cascade through several orders. The Sagnac interferometer or loop mirror defines two optical paths that will support both common mode and difference mode optical signals. Pump fluctuations resulting from higher cascade orders are at least partially rejected through the difference mode signal path, thereby reducing the overall effect of pump fluctuation. The result is a broadband optical resonator, suitable for use at a variety of different wavelengths, including 1.3 .mu.m and 1.55 .mu.m wavelengths. Amplifiers based on this technology are "four-level," providing a pass through signal even when the pump laser is not functioning.
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