Abstract: Disclosed is a pulsed laser apparatus and method of generating a laser pulse. The apparatus includes an input coupler configured to receive pumping light from a pumping light source and a seed pulse from a seed pulse generator. The apparatus further includes a doped fiber-optic cable with an input port at a first end configured to receive the pumping light and the seed pulse. The doped fiber-optic cable amplifies the seed pulse to generate an output pulse. Along a first length of the doped fiber optic cable, the pulse spectrum broadens rapidly owing to nonlinearity. Beyond the first length in an extended portion, the output pulse shifts towards longer wavelengths and broadens in both spectral and temporal domains The apparatus also includes an output port at a second end of the doped fiber-optic cable, wherein the output pulse exits the doped fiber-optic cable at the output port.

Abstract: The technology described in this document can be used to implement an optical device including a seed pump laser to produce pump seed laser pulses at a pump wavelength, a pulse stretcher operable to stretch a pulse duration of the pump seed laser pulses to produce stretched pump seed laser pulses, a pump fiber amplifier including one or more fiber gain media to receive the seed pump laser pulses to produce a pump laser beam of pump laser pulses, a signal laser to produce a signal laser beam at a signal wavelength different from the pump wavelength, an optical module coupled to combine the pump laser beam and the signal laser beam, and a fiber optical parametric amplifier (OPA) to cause a nonlinear parametric interaction in the nonlinear fiber medium to produce an output signal beam, an output idler laser beam at an idler wavelength, and an output pump beam.

Abstract: This disclosed subject matter allows short pulses with high peak powers to be obtained from seed pulses generated by a gain-switched diode. The gain-switched diode provides a highly stable source for optical systems such as nonlinear microscopy. The disclosed system preserves the ability to generate pulses at arbitrary repetition rates, or even pulses on demand, which can help reduce sample damage in microscopy experiments or control deliberate damage in material processing.

Abstract: The technology described in this document can be used to implement an optical device for producing optical pulses that includes an optical oscillator including at least one optical arm including at least one piece of fiber and at least one optical filter, a starting arm coupled to the at least one optical arm to generate spikes of radiation for the optical oscillator to start pulsation, and an optical switch coupled between the optical oscillator and the starting arm to connect the starting arm to the at least one optical arm to start the optical oscillator using the spikes of radiation generated by the starting arm.

Abstract: The technology described in this document can be used to implement an optical device including a seed pump laser to produce pump seed laser pulses at a pump wavelength, a pulse stretcher operable to stretch a pulse duration of the pump seed laser pulses to produce stretched pump seed laser pulses, a pump fiber amplifier including one or more fiber gain media to receive the seed pump laser pulses to produce a pump laser beam of pump laser pulses, a signal laser to produce a signal laser beam at a signal wavelength different from the pump wavelength, an optical module coupled to combine the pump laser beam and the signal laser beam, and a fiber optical parametric amplifier (OPA) to cause a nonlinear parametric interaction in the nonlinear fiber medium to produce an output signal beam, an output idler laser beam at an idler wavelength, and an output pump beam.

Abstract: This disclosed subject matter allows short pulses with high peak powers to be obtained from seed pulses generated by a gain-switched diode. The gain-switched diode provides a highly stable source for optical systems such as nonlinear microscopy. The disclosed system preserves the ability to generate pulses at arbitrary repetition rates, or even pulses on demand, which can help reduce sample damage in microscopy experiments or control deliberate damage in material processing.

Abstract: This disclosed subject matter allows short pulses with high peak powers to be obtained from seed pulses generated by a gain-switched diode. The gain-switched diode provides a highly stable source for optical systems such as nonlinear microscopy. The disclosed system preserves the ability to generate pulses at arbitrary repetition rates, or even pulses on demand, which can help reduce sample damage in microscopy experiments or control deliberate damage in material processing.