Abstract: The invention relates to a fiber amplifier system for amplifying and emitting pulsed radiation, having a master source (1) which emits pulsed output radiation, and at least one amplifier stage (4), which is arranged after the master source (1) in the direction of radiation, and which amplifies the output radiation. The aim of the invention is to provide a fiber amplifier system for amplifying and emitting pulsed radiation which avoids stimulated Brillouin scattering as effectively as possible and at the same time can be produced simply and inexpensively. To this end, the output radiation emitted by the master source (1) is broadband and is generated substantially by means of spontaneous emission.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for generation of electromagnetic radiation, having a pump light source that emits an excitation radiation at a first wavelength, and having an optical waveguide that generates frequency-converted radiation at a second and a third wavelength, by means of degenerate wave mixing, from the excitation radiation of the pump light source.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical amplifier arrangement for amplifying ultra-short pulsed laser radiation comprising a mode-locked laser (1) and two or more optical amplifiers (3) arranged downstream of the laser (1) in the propagation direction of the laser radiation. Optical amplifier arrangements of this type are known in the prior art. Here the intention is to present an alternative to the known amplifier arrangements. The invention proposes arranging between the laser (1) and the optical amplifiers (3) at least one splitting element (2) which splits the pulsed laser radiation between a plurality of amplifier channels (4), wherein each amplifier channel (4) has at least one optical amplifier (3), and wherein at least one common combination element (5) is disposed downstream of the amplifier channels (4) and coherently superimposes the pulsed laser radiation amplified in the amplifier channels (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a laser system with a passively Q-switched laser 1, a spectrally widening element 3, and a compression element 4. Laser systems of this kind are utilized for generating ultra-short laser pulses. Systems, mode-coupled solid-state lasers known from prior art allow for generating laser pulses in the sub-10 ps range only with complicated and alignment-sensitive free-beam arrangements. Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to create a laser system that generates pulse durations of less than 10 ps and which is simple and compact to produce at the same time. In order to achieve this object, the present invention proposes that the passively Q-switched laser 1 is provided with a longitudinally monomode output radiation which is spectrally widened by means of the spectrally widening element 3 by self-phase modulation and is temporally compressed by the compression element 4.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Q-switched laser comprised of a pump light source (1), an optical resonator accommodating a laser medium (6), and a passive Q-switch (5). It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved Q-switched laser which is of a simple and compact setup while having the least possible jitter of the repetition time. To achieve this target, the invention proposes that by means of a beam splitter (8) part of the light coupled out of the optical resonator is passed on to an optical delay line (9) and coupled back into the optical resonator upon having passed through the optical delay line (9).

Abstract: The invention relates to a transverse mode filter in an optical waveguide (3). The aim of the invention is to produce a transverse mode filter that permits a monolithic construction of a laser in a multi-mode waveguide. To achieve this, according to the invention the filter comprises a Fabry-Perot cavity integrated into the optical waveguide (3) and comprising two reflective elements (5) situated at a distance from one another. In addition, the waveguide (3) is modified in the region of the Fabry-Perot cavity and/or in the region of the reflective elements (5) in relation to the remaining regions of the waveguide with respect to the effective refractive index of at least one mode of the waveguide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laser device (1) for amplifying and/or transporting electromagnetic radiation, comprising a radiation source (2) for generating the electromagnetic radiation and an amplifier (4) for amplifying or a medium for transporting the generated electromagnetic radiation. In order to make available a device (1) for amplifying or transporting electromagnetic radiation that provides a very easy to implement possibility for reducing the influence of non-linear effects, the electromagnetic radiation propagating in the amplifier (4) or medium is largely non-linearly polarized.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and low-cost system for generating ultra short high energy laser light pulses that does not use the known CPA scheme. The proposed approach is based on spectral filtering of laser light pulses of a mode locked laser source. The used mode locked laser source can be of any kind as long as its filtered residual pulse bandwidth supports pulse durations longer than 20 ps and up to 1 ns. After filtering the laser light pulses are directly amplified in an amplification element consisting of one or more amplification stages. At the same time or just after amplification the light pulses are spectrally broadened through a spectral broadening element, for example a fiber of suitably chosen core diameter and length to achieve a spectral bandwidth that is wide enough to support sub 10 ps pulses. Finally, the spectrally broadened laser light pulses are compressed by a compact dispersive element consisting of one or more Bragg gratings or a grating pair.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical fiber as an optical waveguide for the single-mode operation. The present invention proposes a fiber having a microstructure, by which the propagation of modes of a higher order are selectively suppressed in the optical waveguide. At the same time, the propagation of transversal modes of a higher order is dampened more strongly than the propagation of the fundamental modes of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (12) and to a method for amplifying light impulses (13). The device comprises a stretcher (15) stretching the light impulses over time, at least one amplifier (16) amplifying the stretched light impulses, and a compressor (17) compressing the stretched and amplified light impulses, wherein the amplifier (16) applies a non-linear phase generated by self-phase modulation to the stretched light impulses. In order to provide a device and a method for amplifying light impulses, by means of which light impulses having higher light impulse quality and light impulse peak power can be generated, the invention proposes that means for spectrally shaping the light impulses are disposed ahead of the amplifier (16) in the beam path, wherein the means for spectrally shaping the light impulses bring about a spectral trimming of the light impulses.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and low-cost system for generating ultra short high energy laser light pulses that does not use the known CPA scheme. The proposed approach is based on spectral filtering of laser light pulses of a mode locked laser source. The used mode locked laser source can be of any kind as long as its filtered residual pulse bandwidth supports pulse durations longer than 20 ps and up to 1 ns. After filtering the laser light pulses are directly amplified in an amplification element consisting of one or more amplification stages. At the same time or just after amplification the light pulses are spectrally broadened through a spectral broadening element, for example a fiber of suitably chosen core diameter and length to achieve a spectral bandwidth that is wide enough to support sub 10 ps pulses. Finally, the spectrally broadened laser light pulses are compressed by a compact dispersive element consisting of one or more Bragg gratings or a grating pair.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (1, 11) for amplifying light pulses (2, 12), the device comprised of a stretcher (4, 14) which temporally stretches the light pulses (2, 12), and comprised of at least one amplifier (5, 15) which amplifies the stretched light pulses (2, 12), and comprised of a compressor (6, 16) which recompresses the stretched and amplified light pulses (2, 12), the stretcher (4, 14) and the compressor (6, 16) being dispersive elements with essentially oppositely identical dispersion. To provide a device (1, 11) for amplifying light pulses (2, 12) which is of a compact setup and which can be flexibly applied, the present invention proposes that the dispersion of the amplifier (5, 15), the dispersion of further optical elements of the device (1) and/or a mismatch of dispersion of the stretcher (4, 14) and compressor (6, 16) are at least partly compensated by self-phase modulation of the light pulses (2, 12) and/or by at least one additional element (17) of variable dispersion.

Abstract: A device for joining and tapering optical components such as fibers includes a retaining device for holding optical components in a processing site, a laser radiation source for emitting a laser beam and beam forming elements for guiding the laser beam to the processing site. At least a first beam forming element is inserted into the beam path of the laser radiation source for producing a radiation having the form of an annulus and a second beam forming element is provided for specifying the angle of incidence of the radiation having the form of an annulus onto the optical components at the processing site.

Abstract: A composite optic fibre for laser includes a core surrounded with a pump guiding sheath in contact with the core, sheath being a photonic structure formed by a substantially regular matrix assembly of coaxial capillaries, spaced apart and arranged parallel to the core, the core being a material with doping elements which may be brought into at least one excited electronic state by absorbing the energy from a pump optical signal of a first determined wavelength running through the core and capable of giving-back the former by de-energization in the form of an optical signal of a second determined wavelength, the core having a determined diameter and the sheath having a determined diameter. The diameter of the guiding sheath is greater than the core diameter and smaller than or equal to four times the core diameter, the core diameter being greater than or equal to 35 micrometers.

Abstract: A fiber laser for the production of self-similar pulses contains a pumped source and a linear resonator. The linear resonator has two reflectors. The laser further includes a polarization-maintaining fiber doped with an amplifying medium with a normal dispersion ?2>0 in the frequency range prescribed by the amplifying medium and a dispersion-compensating element with an anomalous dispersion ?2<0. The laser further includes an element for decoupling radiation and a non-linear mode coupling element with a modulation depth >0. The fiber, dispersion-compensating element, element for decoupling radiation and non-linear mode coupling element are disposed between the two reflectors in a common beam path delimited by the resonators. The total dispersion of the components disposed in the beam path of the resonator is normal.

Abstract: Photodarkening in active fiber or waveguide devices (e.g. lasers, amplifiers, and incoherent sources such as ASE sources) can be reduced by altering the dopant concentration along the length of the doped fiber. A fiber or waveguide device includes two or more intentionally doped fiber or waveguide sections having different concentrations of one or more dopants. The dopants provide optical gain responsive to pump radiation provided to the fiber device by a pump source. A first optical intensity in a first of the fiber or waveguide sections is greater than a second optical intensity in a second of the fiber or waveguide sections. A first dopant concentration in the first fiber or waveguide section is lower than a second dopant concentration in the second fiber or waveguide section. Thus the dopant concentration is reduced in sections of the fiber or waveguide device having a higher optical intensity. The optical intensity can be due to pump radiation and/or signal radiation.

Abstract: Photodarkening in active fiber or waveguide devices (e.g. lasers, amplifiers, and incoherent sources such as ASE sources) can be reduced by altering the dopant concentration along the length of the doped fiber. A fiber or waveguide device includes two or more intentionally doped fiber or waveguide sections having different concentrations of one or more dopants. The dopants provide optical gain responsive to pump radiation provided to the fiber device by a pump source. A first optical intensity in a first of the fiber or waveguide sections is greater than a second optical intensity in a second of the fiber or waveguide sections. A first dopant concentration in the first fiber or waveguide section is lower than a second dopant concentration in the second fiber or waveguide section. Thus the dopant concentration is reduced in sections of the fiber or waveguide device having a higher optical intensity. The optical intensity can be due to pump radiation and/or signal radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite optic fibre (1) for laser comprising a core (2) surrounded with a pump guiding sheath in contact with the core, the pump guiding sheath (4) being a photonic structure formed by a substantially regular matrix assembly of coaxial capillaries, spaced apart and arranged parallel to the core in a pump guiding sheath material, the core being in a core material with moreover doping elements which may be brought into at least one excited electronic state by absorbing the energy from a pump optical signal of a first determined wavelength running through said core and capable of giving-back the former by de-energization in the form of an optical signal of a second determined wavelength, the core having a determined diameter and the pump guiding sheath having a determined diameter.