Abstract: Apparatus and method for stabilizing the wavelength of a tunable laser to a target wavelength, by correspondingly adjusting the electrooptical performance of the laser's gain medium, whereby to eliminate the frequency shift due to vibrational factors. The electrooptical performance of the laser's gain medium is adjusted, in the case of an electrically pumped laser, by changing the injection current used to pump the laser; and the electrical performance of the laser's gain medium is adjusted, in the case of an optically pumped laser, by changing the intensity of the pump laser used to energize the laser. The system is implemented with a feedback mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a flashlamp laser by powering the flashlamp during a series of discrete pulses during an arbitrary time window provides a flashlamp having an extended lifetime. The arbitrary time window may be a time window during which a flashlamp would be continuously pulsed in conventional operation. The laser provides lasing action continuously during a time window during which the associated flashlamp is powered for only portions of the time window. The resulting lowered coulomb transfer rate per pulse and time window utilized produce an extended flashlamp lifetime.

Abstract: A timing synchronization device of a pulsed laser is composed of a first laser gain medium having a first gain region, a second laser gain medium having a second gain region that is not included in the first gain region, and first and second resonators provided with the first and second laser gain media, respectively, and arranged so that two laser pulses occurring in the first and second resonators, respectively, overlap with each other in one of the first and second laser gain media. The second laser gain medium has an oscillation wavelength at which the first laser gain medium crystal cannot cause oscillation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the optical output power from an optical amplifier arrangement. The arrangement includes a rare-earth doped fiber for imparting gain to an optical input signal propagating therethrough, a pump source for supplying pump power to the rare-earth doped fiber, and a tap for receiving a portion of the output power generated by the rare-earth doped fiber and converting it to a control signal. A controller is also provided for receiving the control signal and generating a bias current in response thereto for driving the pump source. The method begins by receiving an optical input signal that is being amplitude modulated at a prescribed frequency. The slew rate of the controller is adjusted so that the bias current drives the pump source to generate pump power that cannot vary at a rate greater than a slew-rate limit established by the controller. In this way resonance between the input signal and the frequency of the feedback control loop can be avoided.

Abstract: Laser printers are designed assuming the actual laser operates at nominal values which are the average or central values of a large batch of such lasers. The nominal values are determined and stored in permanent memory. Similarly, the values of the laser actually in the printer are determined during manufacture and also stored in permanent memory. Data to the laser is adjusted to correlate the output called for by the data with the differences in response of the laser of the printer by determining the optical output called for by the data using the nominal values stored and then finding the power needed to achieve the same output using the actual values stored. This is particularly useful with extreme duty cycles.

Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier or laser comprises an optical housing having a diffusive reflective inner surface and at least one opening for receiving pump light. An optical fiber having a doped core is at least partially contained within the optical housing. The optical fiber can be pumped by an optical source without the need for any complex or expensive optical couplers. Lateral illumination of the fiber core with pump light enables many fibers to be pumped by the same pump source, so that a separate dedicated coupler is no longer required to couple the pump light into each optical cable.

Abstract: A laser bar assembly module having a metal base plate (20) to support a diode or a laser diodes strip (22), this base plate being provided with a groove or area (21) holding the diode or diodes strip in position, a support (24) on which the metal base plate is installed, this support being provided with a flat laser bar bearing surface (26), this flat surface projecting along a direction perpendicular to it beyond the groove or area (21) holding the diode or diodes strip in position.

Abstract: On a “schedule” screen appearing on a display the user performs desired set value entries or action instructions on the apparatus by means of key entries. In order to set and enter a reference waveform for waveform control in particular, desired numerical value data are set and entered into items of a laser output reference value PEAK and waveform elements ↑ SLOPE, FLASH1, FLASH2, FLASH3 and ↓ SLOPE. Within the interior of the apparatus the reference waveform for waveform control and a reference waveform graph for display are obtained on the basis of the entered set values of the waveform element items. The reference waveform for waveform control is used as a reference value for the waveform control in the laser output waveform control. The reference waveform graph for display appears in a predetermined area on the screen in response to a predetermined key action.