Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent, pulsed ultraviolet light with pulse durations that range between 1 ps and 1 ?s includes one or more source lasers in the visible or near-infrared frequency range. The apparatus also includes one or more FC stages, at least one of the one or more FC stages including a nonlinear FC device and one or more optical elements. The optical elements include a reflector, a focusing element, a polarization-controlling optic, a wavelength separator, or a fiber optic component. The FC device includes a huntite-type aluminum double borate nonlinear optical material configured to produce FC light having a wavelength between 190 and 350 nm and a composition given by RAl3B4O12, where R comprises one or a plurality of elements {Sc, La, Y, Lu}. The nonlinear optical material is characterized by an optical transmission greater than 70% over the wavelength range of 190 to 350 nm.

Abstract: A laser system includes a seed laser operable to output a seed laser signal along an optical path and a phase modulator disposed along the optical path and operable to receive the seed laser signal. The laser system also includes a phase modulator driver coupled to the phase modulator. A drive signal from the phase modulator driver is operable to produce, as an output from the phase modulator, an unmodulated seed laser signal when the drive signal is associated with a first state and a modulated seed laser signal when the drive signal is associated with a second state. The laser system further includes a fiber amplifier disposed along the optical path and operable to receive the output of the phase modulator. A spectral bandwidth of an output of the fiber amplifier associated with the second state is less than a spectral bandwidth of the output of the fiber amplifier associated with the first state.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent pulsed light with a fiber-based master oscillator/fiber amplifier architecture includes a fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source. The fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source is configured to provide pulses having a pulse duration of less than 1 ns. The apparatus also includes a fiber-coupled amplitude modulator optically coupled to the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source. The fiber-coupled amplitude modulator is capable of gate durations greater than 1 ns. The apparatus further includes a saturated fiber power amplifier optically coupled to the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator.

Abstract: A laser system includes a seed laser operable to output a seed laser signal along an optical path and a phase modulator disposed along the optical path and operable to receive the seed laser signal. The laser system also includes a phase modulator driver coupled to the phase modulator. A drive signal from the phase modulator driver is operable to produce, as an output from the phase modulator, an unmodulated seed laser signal when the drive signal is associated with a first state and a modulated seed laser signal when the drive signal is associated with a second state. The laser system further includes a fiber amplifier disposed along the optical path and operable to receive the output of the phase modulator. A spectral bandwidth of an output of the fiber amplifier associated with the second state is less than a spectral bandwidth of the output of the fiber amplifier associated with the first state.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent, pulsed ultraviolet light with pulse durations that range between 1 ps and 1 ?s includes one or more source lasers in the visible or near-infrared frequency range. The apparatus also includes one or more FC stages, at least one of the one or more FC stages including a nonlinear FC device and one or more optical elements. The optical elements include a reflector, a focusing element, a polarization-controlling optic, a wavelength separator, or a fiber optic component. The FC device includes a huntite-type aluminum double borate nonlinear optical material configured to produce FC light having a wavelength between 190 and 350 nm and a composition given by RAl3B4O12, where R comprises one or a plurality of elements {Sc, La, Y, Lu}. The nonlinear optical material is characterized by an optical transmission greater than 70% over the wavelength range of 190 to 350 nm.

Abstract: A system for producing frequency converted light includes a first seed laser operable to provide a first laser signal and a second seed laser operable to provide a second laser signal. The system also includes an optical combiner optically coupled to the first seed laser and the second seed laser. The optical combiner is operative to combine the first laser signal and the second laser signal into a combined laser signal. The system further includes a power amplifier optically coupled to the optical combiner. An intensity of both the first laser signal and the second laser signal are increased by the power amplifier. The system additionally includes a harmonic converter optically coupled to the power amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent, pulsed ultraviolet light with pulse durations that range between 1 ps and 1 ?s includes one or more source lasers in the visible or near-infrared frequency range. The apparatus also includes one or more FC stages, at least one of the one or more FC stages including a nonlinear FC device and one or more optical elements. The optical elements include a reflector, a focusing element, a polarization-controlling optic, a wavelength separator, or a fiber optic component. The FC device includes a huntite-type aluminum double borate nonlinear optical material configured to produce FC light having a wavelength between 190 and 350 nm and a composition given by RAl3B4O12, where R comprises one or a plurality of elements {Sc, La, Y, Lu}. The nonlinear optical material is characterized by an optical transmission greater than 70% over the wavelength range of 190 to 350 nm.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent, continuous wave, ultraviolet light, includes one or more source lasers in the visible or near-infrared frequency range. The apparatus also includes one or more frequency conversion stages. Each of the one or more frequency conversion stages includes one or more reflectors, an optical resonator, one or more waveguide components, or one or more fiber optic components. At least one of the one or more frequency conversion stages includes a huntite-type aluminum double borate nonlinear optical material to produce light having a wavelength between 190 and 350 nm. The huntite-type aluminum double borate material has a composition given by MAl3B4O12, where M is one or a plural combination of elements {Sc, La, Y, or Lu}.

Abstract: A fiber laser with reduced stimulated Brillouin scattering includes a spool having a height and characterized by an induced temperature gradient with the height. The fiber laser also includes a fiber wrapped on the spool and characterized by a signal power increasing along the length of the fiber. The induced temperature gradient is a function of the signal power along the fiber.

Abstract: A fiber laser system includes a master oscillator configured to generate linear polarized infrared laser radiation with wavelengths of 1015-1085 nm, pulses with durations of 100 ps to 10 ns, pulse train repetition rates of 1 kHz to 10 MHz, spectral bandwidth less than 0.5 nm, and a predominately single spatial mode and a polarization-maintaining optical isolator optically coupled to the master oscillator. The fiber laser system also includes a fiber amplifier system optically coupled to the optical isolator and including a power amplifier configured to amplify the laser radiation transmitted through the optical isolator. The power amplifier includes a polarization-maintaining, large-mode-area, multiple-clad Yb-doped gain fiber having a core, an inner cladding, and at least an outer cladding, one or more diode pump lasers emitting pump light of a nominal wavelength of 976 nm, and a pump coupler configured to couple the pump light into the gain fiber.

Abstract: A fiber laser system includes a predominately single spatial mode, linearly polarized master oscillator providing a set of optical pulses and a polarization-maintaining optical isolator optically coupled to the master oscillator. The fiber laser system also includes a fiber amplifier optically coupled to the optical isolator and including a power amplifier comprising a double clad gain fiber, one or more pump lasers, and a pump coupler. The fiber laser system further includes a pulse compression stage optically coupled to the fiber amplifier. The pulse compression stage includes a volume holographic phase grating. Moreover, the fiber laser system includes a nonlinear frequency conversion stage optically coupled to the pulse compression stage.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent, pulsed ultraviolet light with pulse durations that range between 1 ps and 1 ?s includes one or more source lasers in the visible or near-infrared frequency range. The apparatus also includes one or more FC stages, at least one of the one or more FC stages including a nonlinear FC device and one or more optical elements. The optical elements include a reflector, a focusing element, a polarization-controlling optic, a wavelength separator, or a fiber optic component. The FC device includes a huntite-type aluminum double borate nonlinear optical material configured to produce FC light having a wavelength between 190 and 350 nm and a composition given by RAl3B4O12, where R comprises one or a plurality of elements {Sc, La, Y, Lu}. The nonlinear optical material is characterized by an optical transmission greater than 70% over the wavelength range of 190 to 350 nm.

Abstract: A system for producing frequency converted light includes a first seed laser operable to provide a first laser signal and a second seed laser operable to provide a second laser signal. The system also includes an optical combiner optically coupled to the first seed laser and the second seed laser. The optical combiner is operative to combine the first laser signal and the second laser signal into a combined laser signal. The system further includes a power amplifier optically coupled to the optical combiner. An intensity of both the first laser signal and the second laser signal are increased by the power amplifier. The system additionally includes a harmonic converter optically coupled to the power amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent pulsed light with a fiber-based master oscillator/fiber amplifier architecture includes a fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source. The fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source is configured to provide pulses having a pulse duration of less than 1 ns. The apparatus also includes a fiber-coupled amplitude modulator optically coupled to the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source. The fiber-coupled amplitude modulator is capable of gate durations greater than 1 ns. The apparatus further includes a saturated fiber power amplifier optically coupled to the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coherent, continuous wave, ultraviolet light, includes one or more source lasers in the visible or near-infrared frequency range. The apparatus also includes one or more frequency conversion stages. Each of the one or more frequency conversion stages includes one or more reflectors, an optical resonator, one or more waveguide components, or one or more fiber optic components. At least one of the one or more frequency conversion stages includes a huntite-type aluminum double borate nonlinear optical material to produce light having a wavelength between 190 and 350 nm. The huntite-type aluminum double borate material has a composition given by MAl3B4O12, where M is one or a plural combination of elements {Sc, La, Y, or Lu}.

Abstract: A fiber laser system includes a master oscillator configured to generate linear polarized infrared laser radiation with wavelengths of 1015-1085 nm, pulses with durations of 100 ps to 10 ns, pulse train repetition rates of 1 kHz to 10 MHz, spectral bandwidth less than 0.5 nm, and a predominately single spatial mode and a polarization-maintaining optical isolator optically coupled to the master oscillator. The fiber laser system also includes a fiber amplifier system optically coupled to the optical isolator and including a power amplifier configured to amplify the laser radiation transmitted through the optical isolator. The power amplifier includes a polarization-maintaining, large-mode-area, multiple-clad Yb-doped gain fiber having a core, an inner cladding, and at least an outer cladding, one or more diode pump lasers emitting pump light of a nominal wavelength of 976 nm, and a pump coupler configured to couple the pump light into the gain fiber.

Abstract: A fiber laser with reduced stimulated Brillouin scattering includes a spool having a height and characterized by an induced temperature gradient with the height. The fiber laser also includes a fiber wrapped on the spool and characterized by a signal power increasing along the length of the fiber. The induced temperature gradient is a function of the signal power along the fiber.

Abstract: Optical communication systems include a central station that encodes data transmitted to multiplexing (mux) stations or user stations. The central station also decodes data received from the mux stations or user stations. Encoding and decoding are performed using codes, such as composite codes, that designate sources and destinations for data. The mux stations, user stations, and the central station have address encoders and decoders that use, for example, fiber Bragg gratings to encode or decode optical signals according to a code such as a composite code derived by combining codes from one or more sets of codes. A passive optical network comprises one or more levels of mux stations that use such address decoders and encoders to receive, decode, and encode data for transmission toward a central station or a user station.

Abstract: Communication systems and methods are disclosed that route, detect, and decode encoded optical signals at network nodes based on channel codes assigned to the network nodes. In an example communication system, a network hub includes a channel selector that encodes an optical signal with a channel code assigned to one or more network nodes. The channel selector is configured to encode based on a channel selection signal provided to the channel selector and can include one or more fiber Bragg coders. Code-switched communication systems can include one or more nodes configured in ring, tree, or bus architectures.

Abstract: Code-multiplexed communication systems, apparatus, and methods include coders that encode and decode data streams with synchronous, substantially orthogonal codes. Code-multiplexed communications systems encode data signals with such codes to control levels of decoding artifacts such as cross-talk at times or time intervals in which data is recovered. Some systems are based on synchronous, orthogonal codes that are obtained from complex orthogonal vectors. In an example, a three-level temporal-phase code that includes nine code chips and encodes and decodes data signals is a seven-channel communication system.