Abstract:
A semiconductor laser having an external cavity including a single-mode optical fiber (40). A Bragg grating (42) is written onto the fiber (40) whic h defines the end of the optical cavity, selects the lasing wavelength, and discriminates against the lasing of higher-order transverse modes in the mul ti- mode gain region. The system includes an optically active medium (28) with a mirror (22) attached to a first end, and optics (26) for coupling the multi- mode output from the second end of the active medium into the single-mode fiber (40). The active medium may be optically pumped (32) and may comprise a solid state laser rod or a semiconductor diode.
Abstract:
An optically active phosporus-silicate glass when pumped to directly excite Er ions, provides gain in 1565 nm to 1620 nm range and comprises in weight percent:SiO2 50 to 92%;Er2O3 0.01 to 2%;P2O5 greater than 5%; andAl2O3 0.0 to 0.3%.
Abstract:
The disclosed invention includes an amplifier fiber and methods of making the amplifier fiber. One embodiment of the inventive fiber includes a glass core and a glass cladding layer surrounding the glass core. The cladding glass layer has a refractive index which is less than a refractive index of the glass core. The fiber also includes a glass overclad layer surrounding the cladding layer. The overclad layer has a refractive index which is greater than the refractive index of the cladding layer. In another embodiment of the inventive fiber, the overclad layer is doped with an absorber. The absorber strips a mode of light propagating in the cladding from the cladding layer.
Abstract:
An optical amplifier comprises a trivalent thulium-doped optical fiber; a first pump light emitting device optically coupled to the fiber for generating a primary pump source at a first wavelength, and a second pump light emitting device optically coupled to the fiber for generating a secondary pump source at a second wavelength. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the amplifier also includes a third (auxiliary) pump light emitting device optically coupled to the fiber for generating a third pump source at a third wavelength. Each of the amplification signals comprise at least one pre-selected wavelength. The first amplification signal has a wavelength pre-selected to provide a reduced noise figure for the amplifier. The second amplification signal has a wavelength pre-selected to increase the optical efficiency of the amplifier. The third amplification signal can have a wavelength pre-selected to populate the 3F4 energy level of the fiber, and to minimize depletion of the 3H6 ground state.
Abstract:
An optically active phosphorus-silicate glass when pumped to directly excite Er ions provides gain in 1565nm to 1620nm range and comprises in weight percent: SiO2 50 to 92%; Er2O3 0.01 to 2%; P2O5 greater than 5%; and Al2O3 0 .0 to 0.3%.
Abstract:
An L-band optical amplifier has a rare earth doped gain medium including a filter distributed over a finite physical portion of the gain medium. The filter is distributed over between about 25 % to substantially the entire length of the gain medium. The distributed filter substantially eliminates o ut- of-band light emission (C-band ASE, 1520nm-1565nm) and thus improves the performance of L-band amplification (1565nm-1620nm). Examples of distributed filters include discrete type filters such as long period gratings, or continuous type filters such as rare earth doped, twin core fibers, non- adiabatically tapered fibers and coaxial resonant ring fibers.
Abstract:
An optical amplifier (fig. 3) comprises a trivalent thulium-doped optical fiber (120): a first pump light emitting device (110) optically coupled to the fiber for generating a primary pump source at a first wavelength, and a second pump light (180) emitting device optically coupled to the fiber (120) for generating a secondary pump source at a second wavelength. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the amplifier also includes a third (auxiliary) pump light emitting device (130) optically coupled to the fiber (120) for generating a third pump source at a third wavelength. Each of the amplification signals comprise at least one pre-selected wavelength. The first amplification signal has a wavelength pre-selected to provide a reduced noise figure for the amplifier. The second amplification signal has a wavelength pre-selected to increase the optical efficiency of the amplifier. The third amplification signal can have a wavelength pre-selected to populate the 3F4 energy level of the fiber, and to minimize depletion of the 3H6 ground state.
Abstract:
A semiconductor laser having an external cavity including a single-mode optical fiber (40). A Bragg grating (42) is written onto the fiber (40) which defines the end of the optical cavity, selects the lasing wavelength, and discriminates against the lasing of higher-order transverse modes in the multi-mode gain region. The system includes an optically active medium (28) with a mirror (22) attached to a first end, and optics (26) for coupling the multi-mode output from the second end of the active medium into the single-mode fiber (40). The active medium may be optically pumped (32) and may comprise a solid state laser rod or a semiconductor diode.