Abstract: A method of operating a frequency-converted laser source is provided. According to the method, the gain section of a laser diode is driven such that the pulse repetition frequency ?P of the laser source is less than but sufficiently close to a mathematical reciprocal of the round-trip light flight time tF of the external laser cavity of the laser source, or an integer multiple thereof. In this manner, respective self-seeding laser pulses generated from the pulsed optical pump signal reach the gain section of the laser diode during buildup of successive optical pump signal pulses. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method of operating a laser projection system is provided. The projection system comprises an external cavity laser, an optical intensity monitor, laser projection optics, and a controller. The external cavity laser comprises a laser diode, an intra-cavity wavelength conversion device, and a wavelength selective element. According to the method, the position of the wavelength selective element is adjusted relative to an optical axis Z of the external cavity laser to optimize output intensity. Specifically, the position of the wavelength selective element is adjusted by (i) tilting the wavelength selective element about its wavelength selective axis Y to reflect a wavelength of interest along an optimum path in an XZ plane of the external laser cavity and (ii) tipping the wavelength selective element about its wavelength insensitive axis X to reflect the wavelength of interest along an optimum path in a YZ plane of the external laser cavity. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: An optical fiber for performing pulse stretching, and fiber laser systems and methods using the pulse-stretching fiber are disclosed. The pulse-stretching (PS) fiber has low fourth-order dispersion (dispersion curvature) and a third order dispersion (dispersion slope) with a small negative, nearly zero or small positive value. Two different types of fiber laser systems that use the PS fiber in a manner that achieves optimum performance are described. The PS fiber enables an all-fiber (up to the final pulse compressor) ultra-short pulsed laser systems reaching pulse energies exceeding 100 ?J, average powers exceeding 100 W, and output pulse widths of less than 100 fs.

Abstract: A method of controlling a frequency-converted laser source is provided where the laser source comprises a laser cavity, an external optical feedback component, a wavelength selective component, and a wavelength conversion device and the method comprises driving a gain section of the laser cavity with a gain signal that comprises a data component and a modulation component. The modulation component of the gain signal comprises a gain modulation amplitude IMOD that is sufficient to shift the available cavity modes in the spectral domain such that lasing at several different cavity modes sequentially is established as the gain signal is modulated.

Abstract: A method of controlling a frequency-converted laser source is provided where the laser source comprises a laser cavity, an external optical feedback component, a wavelength selective component, and a wavelength conversion device and the method comprises driving a phase section of the laser cavity with a phase control signal that comprises a modulation component having a modulation amplitude ?MOD that is sufficient to shift the available cavity modes in the spectral domain such that lasing at several different cavity modes sequentially is established as the phase control signal is modulated.

Abstract: A method of operating a laser projection system is provided. The projection system comprises an external cavity laser, an optical intensity monitor, laser projection optics, and a controller. The external cavity laser comprises a laser diode, an intra-cavity wavelength conversion device, and a wavelength selective element. According to the method, the position of the wavelength selective element is adjusted relative to an optical axis Z of the external cavity laser to optimize output intensity. Specifically, the position of the wavelength selective element is adjusted by (i) tilting the wavelength selective element about its wavelength selective axis Y to reflect a wavelength of interest along an optimum path in an XZ plane of the external laser cavity and (ii) tipping the wavelength selective element about its wavelength insensitive axis X to reflect the wavelength of interest along an optimum path in a YZ plane of the external laser cavity. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a laser source is provided. The laser source comprises a laser configured to generate an optical signal, and a polarization split and delay unit that is coupled to the optical signal. The polarization split and delay unit is configured to split the optical signal into a first and second orthogonally polarized component, create an optical path difference ?L between the first and second orthogonally polarized components and combine the first and second orthogonally polarized components into a combined signal. The method comprises modulating the optical signal by applying a wavelength modulation signal to the laser such that the modulated optical signal comprises at least a first wavelength ?1 and a second wavelength ?2, wherein the first wavelength ?1 and the second wavelength ?2 are separated by a wavelength difference ??.

Abstract: An optical fiber for performing pulse stretching, and fiber laser systems and methods using the pulse-stretching fiber are disclosed. The pulse-stretching (PS) fiber has low fourth-order dispersion (dispersion curvature) and a third order dispersion (dispersion slope) with a small negative, nearly zero or small positive value. Two different types of fiber laser systems that use the PS fiber in a manner that achieves optimum performance are described. The PS fiber enables an all-fiber (up to the final pulse compressor) ultra-short pulsed laser systems reaching pulse energies exceeding 100 ?J, average powers exceeding 100 W, and output pulse widths of less than 100 fs.

Abstract: A method of operating a laser source comprising is provided. The method reduces speckle contrast in a projected image by creating a plurality of statistically independent speckle patterns. The method comprises generating a plurality of sub-beams that define an optical mode. The method further comprises controlling the phase of selected sub-beams to continuously sequence the laser source through a plurality of orthogonal optical modes. The plurality of orthogonal modes create a corresponding number of statistically independent speckle patterns, thus reducing speckle contrast in a image projected using the laser source by time averaging.

Abstract: A laser system comprising: a light source generating light, said light source comprising at least two laser sources of different wavelengths; and a frequency converter operatively coupled to said light source to accept the light provided by said light source and to convert it to higher optical frequency such that said frequency converter is producing light output at the final output wavelength situated in the 150-775 nm range.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a laser source is provided. The laser source comprises a laser configured to generate an optical signal, and a polarization split and delay unit that is coupled to the optical signal. The polarization split and delay unit is configured to split the optical signal into a first and second orthogonally polarized component, create an optical path difference ?L between the first and second orthogonally polarized components and combine the first and second orthogonally polarized components into a combined signal. The method comprises modulating the optical signal by applying a wavelength modulation signal to the laser such that the modulated optical signal comprises at least a first wavelength ?1 and a second wavelength ?2, wherein the first wavelength ?1 and the second wavelength ?2 are separated by a wavelength difference ??.

Abstract: An all-fiber chirped pulse amplification (CPA) system and method is provided that utilizes a hollow core photonic bandgap fiber as a pulse compressor and a dispersion compensating optical fiber as a pulse stretcher that are matched with respect to both the amount and slope of dispersion to avoid peak power-limiting pulse distortion. The CPA system includes a rare earth ion-doped optical fiber amplifier having an input and an output that amplifies optical pulses having a center wavelength of ?c, a pulse compressing length L1 of hollow core photonic bandgap fiber having a dispersion value D1 and a dispersion slope S1 that varies over a wavelength ? of the pulses that is optically connected to the output of the fiber amplifier and having a k-parameter defined by a ratio of D1 over the slope of the function D1(?) that is larger than about 50, and a pulse stretching length L2 of dispersion compensating optical fiber connected to the input of the fiber amplifier having a dispersion value D2 and dispersion slope S2.

Abstract: A system for passively scrambling and unscrambling a, pulse optical signal transmitted through a multi-mode optical fiber is provided. The system includes a scrambling unit connected between a signal receiving end of said transmission fiber and an optical signal source that includes an optical fiber which creates a differential delay between two groups of optical modes of the signal that is at least one bit period long such that said optical signal is passively scrambled, and an unscrambling unit connected to a signal transmitting end of said transmission fiber having an optical fiber that counteracts said differential delay between said two groups of optical modes of the signal such that said optical signal is passively unscrambled.

Abstract: A high energy, ultra short pulse ring fiber laser is provided that includes a passively mode locked, all optical fiber laser formed from a closed loop of optical fiber doped with erbium or other rare earth metal, a pump light source optically coupled to the loop of optical fiber, and a linear dispersion compensator that includes a pair of chirped Bragg gratings with substantially equal but opposite sign dispersion. The difference in dispersion between the pair of chirped Bragg gratings is adjusted so that it is substantially equal and opposite to the dispersion generated in the loop of optical fiber. The linear dispersion compensator includes a tuner which can individually stretch or compress the pair of chirped fiber Bragg gratings such that one of the gratings can be adjusted to cancel out the dispersion of the ring laser cavity, while the other grating is adjusted to eliminate third order dispersion of the cavity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and resulting device for producing a low-loss spectrally periodic all fiber filter by providing a multi-mode fiber capable of propagating an LP01 mode and an LP02 mode at wavelengths of interest and providing a single-mode fiber capable of propagating a fundamental mode at the wavelengths of interest and splicing a selected length of the multi-mode fiber between lengths of the single-mode fiber, where the properties of the multi-mode fiber and the single-mode fiber are related such that the optical field distribution resulting from the coherent superposition of the optical field of the LP01 mode and the optical field of the LP02 mode in the multi-mode fiber is sufficiently similar to the optical field distribution of the fundamental mode in the single-mode fiber at the wavelengths of interest, such that transmission across the two splices taken together at the wavelengths of interests is at least 70%, desirably at least 80% and most desirably at least 90%, and the extin

Abstract: A supercontinuum light emitting device comprises an effectively CW light source producing light of wavelength ?1 within a specified bandwidth and a nonlinear fiber optically coupled to the light source. The nonlinear fiber has a plurality of fiber segments with different zero dispersion wavelengths ?oi, where each successive fiber segment has zero dispersion wavelength ?oi which is larger than the zero dispersion wavelength of the preceding fiber and the zero dispersion wavelength of the first fiber segment is within ±20 nm of ?1.

Abstract: A supercontinuum light emitting device comprises an effectively CW light source producing light of wavelength ?1 within a specified bandwidth and a nonlinear fiber optically coupled to the light source. The nonlinear fiber has a plurality of fiber segments with different zero dispersion wavelengths ?oi, where each successive fiber segment has zero dispersion wavelength ?oi which is larger than the zero dispersion wavelength of the preceding fiber and the zero dispersion wavelength of the first fiber segment is within ±20 nm of ?1.