Abstract: Wavelength-tunable source of pulsed laser radiation for VIS-NIR spectroscopy which consists of a pump source (1) forming bursts of picosecond pulses of high pulse repetition rate, and a synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator (2). The pump source (1) comprises a solid-state regenerative amplifier (31) having one or two electro-optical switches (32,33) inside its resonator (44). The switches create partial transmission of the resonator for a time interval longer than a resonator roundtrip time, and eject a part of energy of a pulse circulating inside. Bursts of 5-10 ns duration are formed, which are filled with high peak power picosecond pulses. Pulse repetition rate of the order of GHz of pump pulses allows the construction of a compact optical parametric oscillator. The whole set of parameters ensures high energy efficiency, stability and an ability to provide output pulse bursts repeating at up to 10 kHz repetition rate.

Abstract: A method for generating gigahertz bursts of laser pulses is provided, where: 1) time delay T2 of the delayed part with respect to the undelayed part of the input pulse is longer than a time period T1 between said input pulse and the next input pulse; 2) the bursts of output pulses have an incrementally increasing number of pulses; 3) intra-burst pulse separation inside the formed bursts is equal to T3=T2?T1 and corresponds to an ultra-high pulse repetition rate higher than 100 MHz. In another embodiment: 1) T2 is longer than M*T1, where M=2, 3, etc.; 2) output train of bursts is composed of bursts of pulses wherein M adjacent bursts have identical number of pulses; 3) T3 is equal to T3=T2?M*T1. The laser apparatus for implementing the method is provided.

Abstract: A continuously pumped, mode-locked laser is disclosed, which includes a cavity dumper that can remove a constant fraction of the light from the cavity at every 1/f period of time, independent of the time at which the first pulse in a train is initiated. The cavity dumper includes a modulator and two output arms, denoted as a primary output arm and a secondary output arm. When a user desires a train of pulses, the pulses are directed to the primary output arm. Between trains of pulses, when no pulse is desired by the user, the pulses are directed to the secondary output arm, which terminates in an absorber or at a secondary optical system. In this manner, the energy contained in each output pulse is essentially constant, from pulse-to-pulse and from train-to-train. This may overcome the disadvantage of many lasers that have a single output arm, in which the first pulse in a train may have an energy that depends on the length of the inactive period that immediately precedes the train.

Abstract: A continuously pumped, mode-locked laser is disclosed, which includes a cavity dumper that can remove a constant fraction of the light from the cavity at every 1/f period of time, independent of the time at which the first pulse in a train is initiated. The cavity dumper includes a modulator and two output arms, denoted as a primary output arm and a secondary output arm. When a user desires a train of pulses, the pulses are directed to the primary output arm. Between trains of pulses, when no pulse is desired by the user, the pulses are directed to the secondary output arm, which terminates in an absorber or at a secondary optical system. In this manner, the energy contained in each output pulse is essentially constant, from pulse-to-pulse and from train-to-train. This may overcome the disadvantage of many lasers that have a single output arm, in which the first pulse in a train may have an energy that depends on the length of the inactive period that immediately precedes the train.

Abstract: A continuously pumped, mode-locked laser is disclosed, which includes a cavity dumper that can remove a constant fraction of the light from the cavity at every 1/f period of time, independent of the time at which the first pulse in a train is initiated. The cavity dumper includes a modulator and two output arms, denoted as a primary output arm and a secondary output arm. When a user desires a train of pulses, the pulses are directed to the primary output arm. Between trains of pulses, when no pulse is desired by the user, the pulses are directed to the secondary output arm, which terminates in an absorber or at a secondary optical system. In this manner, the energy contained in each output pulse is essentially constant, from pulse-to-pulse and from train-to-train. This may overcome the disadvantage of many lasers that have a single output arm, in which the first pulse in a train may have an energy that depends on the length of the inactive period that immediately precedes the train.

Abstract: A mode locked pulsed laser is constructed to shorten pulse duration by a solid state saturable absorber, such as a glass doped with a quantum-dot material such as PbS. The saturable absorber, used as a passive mode locker, is preferably used in combination with an active mode locker. Once the pulses are at about the saturation level of the absorber, a Q control module maintains the pulse energy at a roughly constant level while the pulse is shortened. When the pulses are sufficiently short, the mode lockers and Q control module are switched out of the cavity, and then the short pulses are amplified. When the pulses reach sufficient energy, the light is switched out of the cavity by a cavity dumper. The cavity dumper, switches, Q control module and active mode locker may use electro-optic crystals to rotate the polarization of the beam.

Abstract: A mode locked pulsed laser is constructed to shorten pulse duration by a solid state saturable absorber, such as a glass doped with a quantum-dot material such as PbS. The saturable absorber, used as a passive mode locker, is preferably used in combination with an active mode locker. Once the pulses are at about the saturation level of the absorber, a Q control module maintains the pulse energy at a roughly constant level while the pulse is shortened. When the pulses are sufficiently short, the mode lockers and Q control module are switched out of the cavity, and then the short pulses are amplified. When the pulses reach sufficient energy, the light is switched out of the cavity by a cavity dumper. The cavity dumper, switches, Q control module and active mode locker may use electro-optic crystals to rotate the polarization of the beam.