Abstract: A system for circulating an alkali vapor to operate as, for example, a gain medium in a diode pumped alkali laser. The system includes a pump configured to pump a buffer gas to a metal source. A source heat exchanger heats the alkali metal source to produce a metal vapor that flows with the buffer gas. An action chamber receives the metal vapor and buffer gas combination and contains the combination while the metal vapor performs its required functions. The metal vapor and buffer combination continue to flow to a metal vapor trap and heat exchanger that cools the metal vapor and buffer gas combination. The metal vapor trap collects alkali metal condensate as the combination cools. The diffuser transport channel provides an inflow of clean buffer gas to the pump. The pump provides a circulating gas flow through the closed loop system.

Abstract: A cooling device for cooling heat-generating devices such as disk laser according to a desired thermal profile to generate desired edge effects and optical properties. An example cooling device includes a back plate for supporting the heat-generating device. The back plate is part of a cooling device housing with a wall providing an enclosure that contains a nozzle member. The nozzle member encloses the cooling device housing on a side opposite the back plate. A nozzle coolant surface is formed on an end of the nozzle member. The nozzle coolant surface extends outward from its center to an edge to form a coolant chamber with the back plate. Coolant fluid may enter the coolant chamber through inlet paths formed in the nozzle member and exit through a chamber gap between the nozzle coolant surface edge and inside of the housing wall.

Abstract: A system for circulating an alkali vapor to operate as, for example, a gain medium in a diode pumped alkali laser. The system includes a pump configured to pump a buffer gas to a metal source. A source heat exchanger heats the alkali metal source to produce a metal vapor that flows with the buffer gas. An action chamber receives the metal vapor and buffer gas combination and contains the combination while the metal vapor performs its required functions. The metal vapor and buffer combination continue to flow to a metal vapor trap and heat exchanger that cools the metal vapor and buffer gas combination. The metal vapor trap collects alkali metal condensate as the combination cools. The diffuser transport channel provides an inflow of clean buffer gas to the pump. The pump provides a circulating gas flow through the closed loop system.

Abstract: A laser device which may be used as an oscillator or amplifier comprising a chamber having a volume formed therein and a gain medium within the volume. The gain medium comprises a solid-state element containing active laser ion within the volume. A cooling fluid flows about the solid-state element and a semiconductor laser diode provides optical pump radiation into the volume of the laser chamber such that laser emission from the device passes through the gain medium and the fluid. The laser device provides the advantages of a solid-state gain medium laser (e.g., diode-pumping, high power density, etc), but enables operation at higher average power and beam quality than would be achievable from a pure solid-state medium.

Abstract: A laser device which may be used as an oscillator or amplifier comprising a chamber having a volume formed therein and a gain medium within the volume. The gain medium comprises a solid-state element containing active laser ion within the volume. A cooling fluid flows about the solid-state element and a semiconductor laser diode provides optical pump radiation into the volume of the laser chamber such that laser emission from the device passes through the gain medium and the fluid. The laser device provides the advantages of a solid-state gain medium laser (e.g., diode-pumping, high power density, etc), but enables operation at higher average power and beam quality than would be achievable from a pure solid-state medium.

Abstract: A laser device which may be used as an oscillator or amplifier comprising a chamber having a volume formed therein and a gain medium within the volume. The gain medium comprises solid-state elements containing active laser ion distributed within the volume. A cooling fluid flows about the solid-state elements and a semiconductor laser diode provides optical pump radiation into the volume of the laser chamber such that laser emission from the device passes through the gain medium and the fluid. The laser device provides the advantages of a solid-state gain medium laser (e.g., diode-pumping, high power density, etc), but enables operation at higher average power and beam quality than would be achievable from a pure solid-state medium.

Abstract: A laser device which may be used as an oscillator or amplifier comprising a chamber having a volume formed therein and a gain medium within the volume. The gain medium comprises solid-state elements containing active laser ion distributed within the volume. A cooling fluid flows about the solid-state elements and a semiconductor laser diode provides optical pump radiation into the volume of the laser chamber such that laser emission from the device passes through the gain medium and the fluid. The laser device provides the advantages of a solid-state gain medium laser (e.g., diode-pumping, high power density, etc), but enables operation at higher average power and beam quality than would be achievable from a pure solid-state medium.

Abstract: A laser device which may be used as an oscillator or amplifier comprising a chamber having a volume formed therein and a gain medium within the volume. The gain medium comprises solid-state elements containing active laser ion distributed within the volume. A cooling fluid flows about the solid-state elements and a semiconductor laser diode provides optical pump radiation into the volume of the laser chamber such that laser emission from the device passes through the gain medium and the fluid. The laser device provides the advantages of a solid-state gain medium laser (e.g., diode-pumping, high power density, etc), but enables operation at higher average power and beam quality than would be achievable from a pure solid-state medium.

Abstract: The invention reduces the effects of stitching errors from re-scaling or re-positioning in the fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings or the mask used in such fabrication. A first embodiment of the invention preferably uses characteristics of stitching errors to compensate for the stitching errors themselves. By increasing the number of stitching errors, errors caused by the stitching errors can be reduced. A second embodiment uses continuous writing of the desired pattern, wherein the desired pattern is snapped to a grid that can be written by the fabrication equipment. Using continuous writing eliminates stitching errors in the resulting gratings.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for tuning an optical fiber Bragg grating by using a circular mechanism which uniformly stretches the fiber along its length while at the same time preserving the minimal size for stretching.

Abstract: Techniques for designing efficient gratings with multiple frequency response channels based on sampled patterns based predominantly on phase modulation of the underlying grating structure. Each period of the phase sampled patterns may include contiguous, discrete phase segments with different phase values, or alternatively, a continuous spatial phase pattern that changes the phase of the underlying grating structure. Moderate amplitude modulation of the underlying grating structure by the sampling structure may also be used together with phase modulation. The grating period or the sampling period may be chirped.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for designing efficient multi-channel FBG gratings using a pre-compensated phase mask for diffracting light for side-writing the grating on an optical fiber core. A desired phase function of the FBG is generated, specifically tailored to an effective spacing between the phase mask and the optical fiber core. From the phase function a phase mask is pre-compensated to offset diffraction effects associated with each longitudinal position of the FBG receiving light from two corresponding longitudinal positions of the phase mask substantially symmetrically spaced longitudinally relative to each particular longitudinal position of the FBG. The two corresponding longitudinal positions of the phase mask are spaced longitudinally from each other by a spacing determined by the effective spacing between the phase mask and fiber core and by the first order diffraction angle of light through the phase mask.

Abstract: A laser device which may be used as an oscillator or amplifier comprising a chamber having a volume formed therein and a gain medium within the volume. The gain medium comprises solid-state elements containing active laser ion distributed within the volume. A cooling fluid flows about the solid-state elements and a semiconductor laser diode provides optical pump radiation into the volume of the laser chamber such that laser emission from the device passes through the gain medium and the fluid. The laser device provides the advantages of a solid-state gain medium laser (e.g., diode-pumping, high power density, etc), but enables operation at higher average power and beam quality than would be achievable from a pure solid-state medium.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for designing efficient multi-channel FBG gratings using a pre-compensated phase mask for diffracting light for side-writing the grating on an optical fiber core. A desired phase function of the FBG is generated, specifically tailored to an effective spacing between the phase mask and the optical fiber core. From the phase function a phase mask is pre-compensated to offset diffraction effects associated with each longitudinal position of the FBG receiving light from two corresponding longitudinal positions of the phase mask substantially symmetrically spaced longitudinally relative to each particular longitudinal position of the FBG. The two corresponding longitudinal positions of the phase mask are spaced longitudinally from each other by a spacing determined by the effective spacing between the phase mask and fiber core and by the first order diffraction angle of light through the phase mask.

Abstract: Techniques for designing efficient gratings with multiple frequency response channels based on sampled patterns based predominantly on phase modulation of the underlying grating structure. Each period of the phase sampled patterns may include contiguous, discrete phase segments with different phase values, or alternatively, a continuous spatial phase pattern that changes the phase of the underlying grating structure. Moderate amplitude modulation of the underlying grating structure by the sampling structure may also be used together with phase modulation. The grating period or the sampling period may be chirped.

Abstract: Techniques for optically evaluating phase masks for fabricating waveguide Bragg gratings by measuring diffraction orders.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for tuning an optical fiber Bagg grating by using a cicular mechanism which uniformly stretches the fiber along its length while at the same time preserving the minimal size for stretching.

Abstract: The invention reduces the effects of stitching errors from re-scaling or re-positioning in the fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings or the mask used in such fabrication. A first embodiment of the invention preferably uses characteristics of stitching errors to compensate for the stitching errors themselves. By increasing the number of stitching errors, errors caused by the stitching errors can be reduced. A second embodiment uses continuous writing of the desired pattern, wherein the desired pattern is snapped to a grid that can be written by the fabrication equipment. Using continuous writing eliminates stitching errors in the resulting gratings.