Abstract: A method for quantum key distribution includes determining a ratio between a target maximum gain and a target operating gain of an optical amplifier; determining an active fiber section length such that the optical signals with a target maximum signal power are amplified with at most the target maximum gain; determining an operating pumping power of a pumping device below the maximum pumping power such that the optical signals are amplified with a target operating gain according to the determined ratio between the target maximum gain and the target operating gain; and determining a shared key between a first data processing device and a second data processing device by quantum key distribution comprising amplifying the optical signals via the optical amplifier by operating the pumping device at the operating pumping power.

Abstract: A system or a method for optical signal amplification includes determining a target operating gain of an optical amplifier; determining a target maximum gain of the optical amplifier; determining an active fiber section length such that the optical signals are amplified with at most the target maximum gain; determining a core cross-sectional area size of the active fiber section based on a maximum allowable pulse shape distortion and a target maximum energy per pulse such that high-energy pulses with the target maximum energy per pulse are distorted by at most the maximum allowable pulse shape distortion; and determining an operating pumping power of the pumping device below the maximum pumping power such that the optical signals are amplified with the target operating gain.

Abstract: A system and method for authenticating an optical fiber key includes selecting a plurality of at least partially randomized challenge pulse parameters, generating a first optical challenge pulse based on the plurality of at least partially randomized challenge pulse parameters, determining an optical response signal based on a reflected signal of the first optical challenge pulse from the optical fiber key, applying a comparing algorithm the optical response signal and an expected response based on previously recorded optical response signals of the optical fiber key to a reference optical challenge pulse for determining a similarity metric, and authenticating the optical fiber key based on the similarity metric.

Abstract: A fiber block is configured with a fiber block including a Nd-doped active fiber and a pump-light delivery fiber which has a stretch extending along the active fiber in a side-to-side configuration so as to lunch pump light into the Nd-doped core of the active fiber. The core of the active fiber is surrounded by at least one or more claddings which, like the core, have a double bottleneck cross-section with a relatively large-area central region and relatively small input and output regions. The pump light delivery fiber is structured to have a substantially dumbbell cross-section with a relatively small-area central region coextending with the central region of the active fibers. The active fiber is dimensioned so that the overall length of the active fiber is configured to provide for the maximal amplification of the laser signal in a 900 nm range while limiting amplification in the 1060 nm range to the preset threshold.

Abstract: An optical active fiber is configured with an asymmetrically-shaped core having at least one long axis and a shortest axis which extends transversely to the long axis. The outmost cladding of the active fiber is configured with a marking indicating the orientation of the short axis. The marking allows for bending the fiber so that the shortest axis extends along and lies in the plane of the bend thereby minimizing distortion of a mode which is guided by the asymmetrically-shaped core as light propagates along the bend.

Abstract: An optical active fiber is configured with an asymmetrically-shaped core having at least one long axis and a shortest axis which extends transversely to the long axis. The outmost cladding of the active fiber is configured with a marking indicating the orientation of the short axis. The marking allows for bending the fiber so that the shortest axis extends along and lies in the plane of the bend thereby minimizing distortion of a mode which is guided by the asymmetrically-shaped core as light propagates along the bend.

Abstract: A fiber block is configured with a fiber block including a Nd-doped active fiber and a pump-light delivery fiber which has a stretch extending along the active fiber in a side-to-side configuration so as to lunch pump light into the Nd-doped core of the active fiber. The core of the active fiber is surrounded by at least one or more claddings which, like the core, have a double bottleneck cross-section with a relatively large-area central region and relatively small input and output regions. The pump light delivery fiber is structured to have a substantially dumbbell cross-section with a relatively small-area central region coextending with the central region of the active fibers. The active fiber is dimensioned so that the overall length of the active fiber is configured to provide for the maximal amplification of the laser signal in a 900 nm range while limiting amplification in the 1060 nm range to the preset threshold.

Abstract: A high power single mode fiber laser system has a monolithic active fiber configured with a double bottleneck-shaped multimode (MM) core which is capable of supporting substantially only a fundamental mode at a given wavelength. The core has opposite uniformly configured end regions, frustoconical transformer regions running inwards from the respective end regions, and a central uniformly-dimensioned region which bridges the transformer regions. The MM core is configured with a refractive step-index profile which includes a continuous dip configured to shape an intensity field of the fundamental mode from a Gaussian or dome-shaped field profile to a two-peak-shaped profile and back to the Gaussian filed profile.

Abstract: A large mode area optical fiber includes a large diameter core (d1 up to 60 ?m), and a first cladding (diameter d2) wherein the difference between refractive index (n1) in the core and the first cladding (n2) is very small (?n<0.002), thus providing a very low numerical aperture core (NA1 between 0.02 and 0.06). The preferred ratio of d2/d1<2. The fiber further has a second cladding, preferably a layer of air holes, having a very low refractive index n3 as compared to the core and first cladding such that the first cladding has a relatively high numerical aperture (NA2>0.4) (n3 is preferably less than 1.3). The small change in refractive index between the core and inner cladding combined with a large change in refractive index between the first cladding and second cladding provides a significantly improved single mode holding waveguide.