Pumping Patents (Class 359/341.3)
-
Patent number: 8488920Abstract: The invention provides an optical printed circuit board, comprising: plural polymer waveguide sections from independent waveguides, each of the sections being doped with an amplifying dopant; an optical pump source to pump the plural polymer waveguide sections, wherein the plural waveguide sections are arranged close or adjacent to one another such that a the optical pump source is able to pump plural of the optical waveguide sections.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Xyratex Technology LimitedInventor: Richard C. A. Pitwon
-
Patent number: 8482850Abstract: A control circuit for a fiber amplifier having a first stage pump and at least one second stage pump and method of controlling thereof is disclosed. The control circuit includes a control gate controlling a current through the first stage pump. A sensor for detecting a voltage across the first stage pump and providing a measured output of the voltage is provided. The control circuit further includes a control loop configured for selectively controlling the current through the control gate in accordance with the measured output and a set reference point is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: IPG Photonics CorporationInventor: Phil Simmons
-
Publication number: 20130163072Abstract: The multi-core optical fiber amplifier according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration includes: a double clad multi-core optical fiber including a plurality of cores, an internal cladding enclosing the plurality of cores, and an external cladding enclosing the internal cladding; a pumping light source outputting pumping light; an optical fiber to which pumping light from the pumping light source is input; and a wavelength division multiplexing coupler coupling the optical fiber with the double clad multi-core optical fiber to apply the pumping light input to the optical fiber from the pumping light source to the double clad multi-core optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteInventors: Sun Hyok CHANG, Hwan Seok CHUNG
-
Patent number: 8462429Abstract: An optical combiner 100 includes: fibers for propagation of pumping light 20 configured to propagate pumping light; a fiber for propagation of laser light 10 configured to propagate laser light having a longer wavelength than the pumping light; and a large area fiber 30 having a core 31 and a clad 32 and configured to propagate laser light and pumping light, in which one end surface of the fiber for propagation of laser light 10 and one end surface of the large area fiber 30 are fused, one end surfaces of the fibers for propagation of pumping light 20 and the one end surface of the large area fiber 30 are fused, and the fiber for propagation of laser light 10 and the fibers for propagation of pumping light 20 are not fused to each other.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.Inventor: Hironori Tanaka
-
Patent number: 8462430Abstract: An optical amplifier having two erbium doped fiber coils and a pump laser diode is described. A tunable optical power splitter is used for variably splitting the optical pump power for the laser diode between the two erbium doped fiber coils, and variable tilters can be used for correcting the gain tilt of the amplifier. The variable splitter and the tilters can include thermally tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometers.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Maxim Bolshtyansky, Gregory Cowle
-
Publication number: 20130120831Abstract: An optical amplifier system is provided which comprises first and second optical amplifiers (1, 2) for amplifying optical signals in a fibre optic communications link and a common pump (3) for optically pumping both the first amplifier (1) and the second amplifier (2) to effect such amplification. There is also provided an optical switch (6) for providing an optical path between the pump and the first amplifier in a first switching state and an optical path between the pump and the second amplifier in a second switching state to enable pumping of the first and second amplifiers by the pump sequentially. Advantageously this arrangement provides high accuracy to the outputs (4, 5) of the pump (3) and reduces low power pump noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Inventors: Ian Peter McClean, Nadhum Kadhum Zayer, Barrie Flintham, Jonathan Stuart Drake
-
Publication number: 20130114129Abstract: A single-mode optical fiber for guiding an optical signal, wherein the core region is capable of guiding an optical signal in a fundamental core mode at an optical signal wavelength. A cladding region is arranged to surround the core region and includes an inner cladding region and an outer cladding region. The inner cladding region includes a background material and a plurality of inner cladding features arranged in the background material, wherein a plurality of the plurality of inner cladding features are of a first type of feature that includes an air hole surrounded by a high-index region comprising a high-index material that is larger than the refractive index of the inner cladding background material.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: NKT PHOTONICS A/SInventor: Thomas Tanggaard Alkeskjold
-
Patent number: 8437074Abstract: A Raman amplifier according to the present invention comprises a plurality of pumping means using semiconductor lasers of Fabry-Perot, DFB, or DBR type or MOPAs, and pumping lights outputted from the pumping means have different central wavelengths, and interval between the adjacent central wavelength is greater than 6 nm and smaller than 35 nm. An optical repeater according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned Raman amplifier and adapted to compensate loss in an optical fiber transmission line by the Raman amplifier. In a Raman amplification method according to the present invention, the shorter the central wavelength of the pumping light the higher light power of said pumping light.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2011Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Youichi Akasaka, Yoshihiro Emori, Shu Namiki
-
Publication number: 20130107351Abstract: An optical source configured for providing output light for providing input signal light or pump light can comprise pump source for pumping a four wave mixing (FWM) process with light pulses (“FWM pump light”); a FWM element in optical communication with the pump source, the FWM element configured for hosting the FWM process to generate, responsive to the FWM pump light, pulses of FWM signal light and FWM idler light having different wavelengths. The optical source can be configured such that the output light comprises pump light having a pumping wavelength or as input signal light having a gain wavelength for pumping or seeding an amplifying optical device comprising a gain material for providing optical gain. The gain material can have absorption and emission spectra defining gain and pumping wavelengths at which, respectively, the gain material is arranged in the device to provide optical gain via a process of stimulated emission responsive to being pumped.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2012Publication date: May 2, 2013Inventors: John Redvers Clowes, Michael Yarrow
-
Publication number: 20130101297Abstract: The present document relates to passive optical networks (PON). More particularly but not exclusively, it relates to the use of a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) for amplifying signals in a Gigabit PON (GPON) or WDM-PON. An apparatus configured to amplify light at different wavelengths in an optical network is described. The apparatus comprises a first active material configured to amplify light at a first wavelength and a second active material configured to amplify light at a second wavelength. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises a first reflector which separates the first and second active materials and which is configured to reflect light at the first wavelength and which is configured to be substantially transparent to light at the second wavelength. In addition, the apparatus comprises a second reflector adjacent the second active material opposite to the first reflector which is configured to reflect light at the second wavelength.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2011Publication date: April 25, 2013Applicant: ALCATEL LUCENTInventors: Romain Brenot, Francis Poingt
-
Patent number: 8428462Abstract: A device may include a component, a first switch, a repeater, and a second switch. The component may configure optical paths between ports. The component may comprise a first pair of optical ports connected to a first pair of optical fibers, and a second pair of optical ports connected to a second pair of optical fibers. The first switch may be configured to output one of two optical signals received by the first pair of optical ports from the first pair of optical fibers. The repeater may reshape or amplify the outputted optical signal. The second switch may be configured to direct the reshaped or amplified signal to one of the second pair of optical ports.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventors: Glenn A. Wellbrock, Tiejun J. Xia
-
Publication number: 20130089113Abstract: Various embodiments include large cores fibers that can propagate few modes or a single mode while introducing loss to higher order modes. Some of these fibers are holey fibers that comprising cladding features such as air-holes. Additional embodiments described herein include holey rods. The rods and fibers may be used in many optical systems including optical amplification systems, lasers, short pulse generators, Q-switched lasers, etc. and may be used for example for micromachining.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: April 11, 2013Applicant: IMRA AMERICA, INC.Inventors: LIANG DONG, WILLIAM WONG, MARTIN E. FERMANN
-
Publication number: 20130088771Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical system for amplifying space-multiplexed optical signals includes an input fiber that propagates multiple spatially-separated optical signals and a bulk amplifier formed of a doped material that receives the multiple spatially-separated optical signals and simultaneously amplifies those signals to generate multiple amplified signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2012Publication date: April 11, 2013Inventors: Guifang Li, Ibrahim T. Ozdur
-
Publication number: 20130089112Abstract: Holey fibers provide optical propagation. In various embodiments, a large core holey fiber comprises a cladding region formed by large holes arranged in few layers. The number of layers or rows of holes about the large core can be used to coarse tune the leakage losses of the fundamental and higher modes of a signal, thereby allowing the non-fundamental modes to be substantially eliminated by leakage over a given length of fiber. Fine tuning of leakage losses can be performed by adjusting the hole dimension and/or spacing to yield a desired operation with a desired leakage loss of the fundamental mode. Resulting holey fibers have a large hole dimension and spacing, and thus a large core, when compared to traditional fibers and conventional fibers that propagate a single mode. Other loss mechanisms, such as bend loss and modal spacing can be utilized for selected modes of operation of holey fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: April 11, 2013Applicant: IMRA AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Liang Dong, Donald J. Harter, William Wong
-
Publication number: 20130070330Abstract: An optical coupler for coupling optical-pump power into a multimode fiber configured to transport an optical space-division-multiplexed (SDM) signal, the coupling being performed in a manner that enables amplification of the SDM signal in the multimode fiber via a stimulated-emission process or a stimulated Raman-scattering process. The optical coupler can be a part of an optical transmitter configured for co-directional pumping, an optical receiver configured for contra-directional pumping, or a relay station disposed within an optical communication link and configured for either type of pumping. The optical coupler can advantageously be used, e.g., to offset the different degrees of attenuation to which the SDM-signal components corresponding to different guided modes of the multimode fiber are subjected to therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2011Publication date: March 21, 2013Applicant: ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC.Inventor: Roland Ryf
-
Publication number: 20130063809Abstract: An optical amplifier includes a pump light source that outputs pump light, and a multicore fiber that includes at least one pumping core, the pump light being input to the at least one pumping core by coupler, at least two signal light cores doped with an active substance for optical amplification, at least one signal light being input to at least one of the signal light cores, and a cladding, wherein the pump light propagating the at least one pumping core and exciting the active substance in the signal light cores, so as to amplify the at least one signal light propagating through the at least one of the signal light cores.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Masato Nishihara, Takeshi Hoshida
-
Patent number: 8385699Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a supercontinuum light source, including generating electromagnetic radiation from a seed laser; coupling the seed laser electromagnetic radiation to a fiber amplifier comprising: a pump laser, a fiber coupler comprising an input and an output, and a nonlinear gain fiber comprising an input and an output, wherein the nonlinear gain fiber is configured to amplify and broaden the electromagnetic radiation from the seed laser; generating electromagnetic radiation from the pump laser; coupling the pump laser electromagnetic radiation and the seed laser electromagnetic radiation into the input of the fiber coupler; coupling the output of the fiber coupler into the input of the nonlinear gain fiber; and coupling out the amplified and broadened electromagnetic radiation from the nonlinear gain fiber. Other embodiments are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2010Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Inventor: Jian Liu
-
Publication number: 20130038924Abstract: A pulse fiber laser device 1 has a Fabry-Perot type optical resonator, and is provided with an excitation light source 11, an optical coupling unit 12, an amplifying optical fiber 13, a saturable absorber 14, a gradient index lens 15, an optical output unit 16, a dispersion adjusting unit 17, a mirror 21 and a mirror 22. The saturable absorber 14 and the mirror 21, integrated into one body, constitute a saturable absorber mirror 23. The gradient index lens 15 converges the light output from an end face of an optical fiber 32 and outputs the light to the saturable absorber mirror 23, and inputs the light reflected from the saturable absorber mirror 23 into the end face of the optical fiber 32. Thus, there is provided a pulse fiber laser device that enables easy adjustment of the intensity of light incident on a saturable absorber and facilitates miniaturization.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2011Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.Inventors: Kodai Fukazawa, Masatoshi Fujimoto
-
Publication number: 20130038923Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to a fiber assembly, for example, in a chirped pulse amplification system, for all-fiber delivery of high energy femtosecond pulses. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for improving dispersion management when using hollow core photonic bandgap fibers for pulse compression. In one embodiment of the present invention, a fiber assembly comprises: an optical laser oscillator; a first fiber section for stretching the pulses from the laser oscillator, the first fiber section comprising a high order mode fiber; and a second fiber section for compressing the stretched pulses, connected to the first fiber section via a splice, the second fiber section comprising a hollow core photonic bandgap fiber; wherein the fiber assembly outputs a pulse compression at less than 200 fs.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2011Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Kim Jespersen, Lars Grüner-Nielsen
-
Publication number: 20130033742Abstract: A pulsed fiber laser including fiber preamplifier and power amplifier stages is disclosed. A fiber preamplifier includes first and second preamplifier stages that receive and amplify a seed pulse. A filter isolator placed between the preamplifier stages suppresses noise from the first preamplifier stage. An acoustic optical modulator located in the second preamplifier stage eliminates unwanted wavelengths from the amplified seed pulse received from the first preamplifier stage. The pulsed fiber laser is rugged and lightweight.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2012Publication date: February 7, 2013Applicant: Optical Data Air Systems, LLCInventors: Philip Rogers, Priyavadan Mamidipudi, Rupak Changkakoti, Peter Gatchell
-
Patent number: 8363309Abstract: An apparatus includes a first optical amplifier that uses a rare-earth-doped optical medium, an isolator that inputs amplified light amplified by the first optical amplifier, a second optical amplifier that uses a rare-earth-doped optical medium to amplify a light output from the isolator, and a first light router that routes amplified spontaneous emission light generated by the first optical amplifier or the second optical amplifier to input, by a second light router, the routed amplified spontaneous emission light to the optical rare-earth-doped medium other than the optical rare-earth-doped medium where the routed amplified spontaneous emission light is generated.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2010Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Tomoaki Takeyama
-
Patent number: 8363311Abstract: An optical amplifier has a pump and an “anti-pump” for reducing a variation of the amplifier gain with the input optical power. The wavelength of “anti-pump” light is longer than the wavelength of the optical signal being amplified, so that the optical signal serves as a pump for the “anti-pump” light, whereby an optical loss variation with the signal power at the signal wavelength is created, which reduces optical gain variation with the signal power. To compensate for gain loss due to the anti-pump light, two and three stages of amplification can be used.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Inventor: Lijie Qiao
-
Patent number: 8363310Abstract: A device for amplifying optical signals propagating in optical fibers comprising a double cladding fiber amplifier having multiple gain stages, a port for coupling pump light into the double cladding fiber amplifier, and a double cladding fiber coupler for splitting the coupled pump light between the gain stages of the double cladding fiber amplifier. Also, a method for amplifying optical signals propagating in optical fibers comprising the steps of providing a double cladding fiber amplifier having multiple gain stages, coupling pump light into the double cladding fiber amplifier, and splitting the coupled pump light between the gain stages of the double cladding fiber amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2010Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Lew Goldberg
-
Publication number: 20130016741Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier (2) includes: a first pumping source (10); a second pumping source (20); an amplification optical fiber (3) in which an active element is doped; a first optical filter (15) coupled to the first pumping source (10) and one end of the amplification optical fiber (30), the first optical filter (15) transmitting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of a first pumping light and reflecting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of a second pumping light; and a second optical filter (25) coupled to the second pumping source (20) and the other end of the amplification optical fiber (3), the second optical filter (25) transmitting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of the second pumping light and reflecting a light at a wavelength the same as the wavelength of the first pumping light.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2012Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.Inventor: FUJIKURA LTD.
-
Patent number: 8351113Abstract: A tapered fiber bundle device couples optical power from an optical power source into an output fiber. The tapered fiber bundle device includes a tapered fiber bundle including a set of bundled fibers having a near end and a distal end. The near end of the tapered fiber bundle is configured to collect the optical power from the optical power source. Each fiber k in the set of bundled fibers has a first cross-sectional area Ak(1) at the near end and a second cross-sectional area Ak(2) at the distal end such that Ak(2) is substantially smaller than Ak(1). Each fiber also has a substantially uniform core and a substantially uniform numerical aperture value NAin. A cross-sectional area of the set of bundled fibers at the distal end has a cross-sectional area value Adist substantially equal to Aout.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Textron Systems CorporationInventor: Jason Edward Langseth
-
Patent number: 8351111Abstract: A light generation and amplification system includes a length of laser-active filter fiber having a refractive index profile that suppresses unwanted Stokes orders at wavelengths longer than a target wavelength and that has normal dispersion over its operating wavelength. A nested series of reflectors is provided at the fiber's input and output ends, and are configured to provide a nested series of Raman cavities, separated in wavelength by approximately the respective Stokes shifts. The first cavity in the series is a combined cavity that provides laser oscillation due to a combination of ionic gain and feedback at a selected first wavelength and that provides Raman gain to light at the first Stokes shift of the first wavelength when light at the first wavelength has an energy exceeding a Raman scattering threshold. The Raman cavities provide a stepwise transition between the first wavelength and the target wavelength.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: David J. DiGiovanni, Clifford E. Headley, Jeffrey W. Nicholson, Man F. Yan
-
Patent number: 8351110Abstract: An optical-signal processing apparatus includes a polarizer that is provided at an output terminal of an optical fiber, and polarization control units that adjust a first excitation light and a second excitation light input to the optical fiber. The polarization control units adjust polarization states of the first excitation light and the second excitation light so that, when the first excitation light and the second excitation light are input to the polarizer, polarization directions of the first excitation light and the second excitation light are orthogonal to each other, and angular difference between the polarization direction of the first excitation light and the polarization direction of the second excitation light, measured against the polarization main axis of the polarizer, is equal to or smaller than a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Shigeki Watanabe
-
Patent number: 8346038Abstract: An optical coupler, the optical coupler being usable with a first optical fibre and a second optical fibre. The second optical fibre defines a second fibre coupling section and a second fibre transmitting section extending from the second fibre coupling section. The second fibre coupling section defines a radially outwardmost peripheral surface, the radially outwardmost peripheral surface defining a peripheral surface coupling portion. The optical coupler includes a coupler first end section and a substantially opposed coupler second end section, the coupler first end section defining a first coupling surface. The optical coupler defines a second coupling surface extending along the coupler first and second end sections. The first coupling surface is optically couplable with the first optical fibre and the second coupling surface is positionable so as to extend substantially parallel to the peripheral surface coupling portion and to be optically coupled with the peripheral surface coupling portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2008Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: 9180-8030 Quebec Inc.Inventor: François Gonthier
-
Publication number: 20120327506Abstract: An optical amplifier having two erbium doped fiber coils and a pump laser diode is described. A tunable optical power splitter is used for variably splitting the optical pump power for the laser diode between the two erbium doped fiber coils, and variable tilters can be used for correcting the gain tilt of the amplifier. The variable splitter and the tilters can include thermally tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometers.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventors: Maxim BOLSHTYANSKY, Gregory Cowle
-
Publication number: 20120320935Abstract: An optical fibre laser or amplifier comprising an optical fibre and a pump radiation source configured to generate pump radiation which is received through an input end of the optical fibre. The optical fibre may include a doped core which is configured to guide the pump radiation and to generate or amplify and guide signal radiation when pump radiation passes through it. The optical fibre laser or amplifier may include a first reflector configured to reflect pump radiation and further comprises a second reflector configured to selectively reflect a portion of pump radiation. The selection of the portion of pump radiation to be reflected by the second reflector depends upon one or more of: the spatial position of the pump radiation, the direction of the pump radiation, and the polarisation of the pump radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2012Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: LASER QUANTUM INC.Inventor: Alan Cox
-
Publication number: 20120314279Abstract: An optical amplifier includes at least one pump source and an optical fibre cable which includes an amplifying optical fibre and a pump optical fibre that are defined by respective lengths. The amplifying optical fibre and the pump optical fibre are coated with a common coating along a portion of their respective lengths, and the fibres are in optical contact with each other along a coating length within the common coating. The common coating has a refractive index which is lower than a refractive index of a cladding material of the pump optical fibre. The fibres are made substantially from glass. The amplifying optical fibre includes a core and a cladding, and is doped with a rare earth dopant. The pump optical fibre is defined by a first end and a second end, the first end of the pump optical fibre being connected to the pump source.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2012Publication date: December 13, 2012Inventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
-
Patent number: 8325413Abstract: A system is provided that includes optical amplifiers provided upstream from an optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM). One of the optical amplifiers may be a Raman amplifier that supplies amplified light to another optical amplifier, such as an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), which, in turn, further amplifies and feeds the light to an input of the OADM. During turn-up, for example, the EDFA may initially be disabled, the power of the pump lasers of the Raman amplifier may be gradually increased until light input to the EDFA exceeds a power threshold at which the EDFA can amplify the input light. Light supplied to the EDFA does not have an excessive amount of power. Accordingly, at this point, the gain of the EDFA may be appropriately adjusted and then activated to supply optical signals to the OADM. Such optical signals may have a low power but not too low so as to prevent proper operation of downstream EDFA. Moreover, these optical signal do not have power that is so high as to cause “spiking.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2010Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Infinera CorporationInventors: Abhijeet D. Deore, Andrew Q. Phan, Zhong Pan
-
Patent number: 8320039Abstract: An optical amplifier comprises at least two gain regions, an intermediate region situated between the gain regions, and a transition region situated between the intermediate region and each gain region. The aforesaid regions have claddings that collectively form a path for pump radiation propagating from at least one of the gain regions to the other gain region, and cores that collectively form a path for signal radiation propagating from at least one of the gain regions to the other gain region. The cores in the gain regions support multiple propagating optical modes, including at least one signal mode and at least one non-signal mode. The intermediate region, however, supports fewer propagating core modes than are supported by the gain regions. The transition regions are conformed such that when radiation in propagating non-signal core modes passes from the gain regions into the intermediate region, it is at least partly coupled into cladding modes of the intermediate region.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2010Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: LGS Innovations LLCInventors: Douglas P. Holcomb, Thomas Huntington Wood, Paul Wysocki
-
Publication number: 20120293856Abstract: An optical delay device includes an optical path in which an input optical signal travels the same path recursively; an optical switch that switches between an output state of outputting the optical signal input to the optical path, and a non-output state of not outputting the optical signal input to the optical path; and a controller that sets the optical switch to the non-output state until a point in time when a given delay time elapses since input of the optical signal to the optical path and at the point in time when the given delay time elapses, switches the optical switch to the output state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITEDInventor: Miki ONAKA
-
Publication number: 20120287498Abstract: An optical source having a fiber emitting controlled single-transverse mode radiation at a wavelength of less than 1030 nm, includes at least one laser diode suitable for emitting a pumping wave; and a section of sheathed amplifying optical fiber having two ends, the amplifying optical fiber comprising a core and a pumping sheath, the fiber being doped with a rare earth dopant; a device for coupling the pumping source in the sheath of the doped fiber, characterized in that the core of the doped fiber includes a cylindrical portion doped with a rare earth element selected among ytterbium, neodymium, and thulium, in order to obtain a refractive index of the core that is higher than the refractive index of the sheath; the excitation wavelength of the laser diode is between 750 nm and 960 nm; the diameter of the sheath is greater than 50 microns, and the surface ratio of the doped core to the pumping sheath is between 8 and 50.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2010Publication date: November 15, 2012Applicants: ALPHANOV CENTRE TECHNOLOGIQUE OPTIQUE ET LASERS, UNIVERSITE BORDEAUX 1Inventors: Nicholas Traynor, Johan Boullet, Eric Cormier, Ramatou Bello Doua
-
Patent number: 8310749Abstract: An ultra-short high-power light pulse source including a first laser pump source (1), a mode-locked laser oscillator (2), a second laser pump source (4), a waveguide (6) capable of inserting spectral phases into the light pulses, and a compressor (8) capable of generating predetermined spectral phases into the light pulses. The waveguide (6) includes an element capable of compensating the predetermined spectral phases generated at least by the compressor (8), the second laser pump source (4) being capable of delivering a second pump light flow (5) having a power PL such that the spectral phases generated by the wave guide (6) are opposed or quasi opposed to the predetermined spectral phases generated by the compressor (8) in order to generate compressed ultra-short light pulses (9) at the output of the compressor (8) with a planar or quasi planar spectral phase.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2008Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignees: Amplitude Systemes, Institut d'Optique Graduate School, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueInventors: Eric Mottay, Patrick Georges, Yoann Zaouter, Marc Hanna, Dimitris Papadopoulos, Frederic Druon, Eric Cormier
-
Publication number: 20120275015Abstract: An amplifying optical fiber includes a core doped with an active element, a cladding covering the core, and an outer cladding covering the cladding. The cladding meets a relationship of 0.92?r/R?0.97 where the cladding has a polygonal outer shape in cross section, and the outer shape has an inscribed circle of a diameter r and a circumscribed circle of a diameter R.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2012Publication date: November 1, 2012Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.Inventor: Tomohiro Takanashi
-
Publication number: 20120262781Abstract: Hybrid laser systems include fiber amplifiers using tapered waveguides and solid-state amplifiers. Typically, such systems represent a technically simple and low cost approach to high peak power pulsed laser systems. The tapered waveguides generally are provided with an active dopant such as a rare earth element that is pumped with one or more semiconductor lasers. The active waveguide taper is selected to taper from a single or few mode section to a multimode section. A seed beam in a fundamental mode is provided to a section of the waveguide taper associated with a smaller optical mode, and an amplified beam exits the waveguide taper at a section associated with a larger optical mode. The waveguide taper permits amplification to higher peak power values than comparable small mode area fibers. The fiber amplified beam is then directed to a solid state amplifier, such as a thin disk or rod-type laser amplifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Inventors: R. Kirk Price, Joseph G. LaChapelle, Matthieu Saracco, Timothy S. McComb, Jason N. Farmer
-
Publication number: 20120257271Abstract: Multi-clad optical fibers and fiber amplifiers are disclosed. Various embodiments include multi-clad, large core fiber amplifiers. In various implementations mixing of pump modes is enhanced relative to that obtainable with conventional double-clad fibers. In some embodiments end terminations are provided with increased length of end-cap fiber. In at least one embodiment a multi-clad fiber is provided, with a pump cladding formed by stacking a layer of low index rods in the preform. Various embodiments include a multi-clad fiber amplifier system. The system includes a pump source to pump said fiber amplifier. The system also includes an optical fiber having a core and a cladding, wherein the cladding includes a pump cladding having a corrugated boundary. In various embodiments the pump cladding is formed by rods in a preform, which are disposed to mix the pump modes and/or scatter or reflect pump energy into the core.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: IMRA AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Liang Dong, Hugh McKay
-
Patent number: 8284479Abstract: A system for optical communication including an optical amplifier card configured to receive a plurality of pump laser modules. The optical amplifier card includes a receptacle configured to receive the pump laser module, a connector configured to couple the pump laser module to the optical amplifier card, a monitor configured to measure at least the optical output power of the pump laser module, and a pump combiner communicatively coupled to the monitor. The pump combiner is configured to receive a signal from the monitor indicating a drop in the output power of a first pump laser module below a threshold level, and, in response to the signal, switch the optical amplifier card from using the optical power of the first pump laser module to using the optical power of a second pump laser module without substantially affecting normal operation of the optical amplifier card.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2009Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Youichi Akasaka, Takao Naito
-
Patent number: 8285099Abstract: Various types of holey fiber provide optical propagation. In various embodiments, for example, a large core holey fiber comprises a cladding region formed by large holes arranged in few layers. The number of layers or rows of holes about the large core can be used to coarse tune the leakage losses of the fundamental and higher modes of a signal, thereby allowing the non-fundamental modes to be substantially eliminated by leakage over a given length of fiber. Fine tuning of leakage losses can be performed by adjusting the hole dimension and/or the hole spacing to yield a desired operation with a desired leakage loss of the fundamental mode. Resulting holely fibers have a large hole dimension and spacing, and thus a large core, when compared to traditional fibers and conventional fibers that propagate a single mode. Other loss mechanisms, such as bend loss and modal spacing can be utilized for selected modes of operation of holey fibers. Other embodiments are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: IMRA America, Inc.Inventors: Liang Dong, Donald J. Harter, William Wong
-
Publication number: 20120250143Abstract: Various embodiments described herein include rare earth doped glass compositions that may be used in optical fiber and rods having large core sizes. Such optical fibers and rods may be employed in fiber lasers and amplifiers. The index of refraction of the glass may be substantially uniform and may be close to that of silica in some embodiments. Possible advantages to such features include reduction of formation of additional waveguides within the core, which becomes increasingly a problem with larger core sizes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: IMRA AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Liang Dong, Xiang Peng
-
Publication number: 20120243076Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for amplifying a burst optical signal. The method includes: monitoring an input status of a signal light; when no signal light is input, controlling output power of a pump light so that a gain medium has output optical power and the output optical power is less than a maximum optical power that the gain medium is capable of outputting when a signal light is input; inputting the pump light into a wavelength division multiplexer so that the wavelength division multiplexer combines the signal light and the pump light and inputs the combined light into the gain medium. With the preceding manners, when no signal light is input, the power of the pump light is controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2012Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.Inventors: Feng DING, Hong LIU
-
Patent number: 8274732Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical module having a structure for reducing adverse contingencies such as increased number of fusion splicing points, drops in output, and higher costs associated with a greater number of optical components. The optical module comprises an amplification optical fiber, a transmission optical fiber, and a fusion splicing structure that fusion-splices the amplification optical fiber to the transmission optical fiber, in a state where a cover layer is removed at the tip portions, including the end faces, of these optical fibers. The fusion splicing structure includes a pumping light removing resin that covers directly the tip portions of the amplification optical fiber and the transmission optical fiber from which the cover layer is removed. The pumping light removing resin has a higher refractive index than a first cladding of the amplification optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2010Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Shinobu Tamaoki
-
Patent number: 8275269Abstract: The distributed Raman amplifier monitors an OSNR of each channel in a WDM light which has been propagated through a transmission path to be Raman amplified, and thereafter, is amplified by an optical amplifier in an optical repeating node; judges whether a monitor value of the OSNR is larger or smaller than a previously set target value thereof; and feedback controls a driving state of a pumping light source which supplies a Raman pumping light to the transmission path, based on the judgment result. The optical communication system comprises the above distributed Raman amplifier in each repeating span thereof, and performs a pumping light control of the distributed Raman amplifier corresponding to the repeating span selected based on the OSNR in each distributed Raman amplifier and the monitor result of span loss. As a result, it becomes possible to effectively improve the OSNR of each channel in the WDM light, and also, to reduce the power consumption.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2009Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Miki Onaka
-
Patent number: 8270070Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: SPI Lasers UK LtdInventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
-
Publication number: 20120212803Abstract: An electronic circuit for controlling a laser system consisting of a pulse source and high power fiber amplifier is disclosed. The circuit is used to control the gain of the high power fiber amplifier system so that the amplified output pulses have predetermined pulse energy as the pulse width and repetition rate of the oscillator are varied. This includes keeping the pulse energy constant when the pulse train is turned on. The circuitry is also used to control the temperature of the high power fiber amplifier pump diode such that the wavelength of the pump diode is held at the optimum absorption wavelength of the fiber amplifier as the diode current is varied. The circuitry also provides a means of protecting the high power fiber amplifier from damage due to a loss of signal from the pulse source or from a pulse-source signal of insufficient injection energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2012Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: IMRA AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Salvatore F. NATI, Otho E. ULRICH, JR., Gyu Cheon CHO, Wayne A. GILLIS, Donald J. HARTER, Mark BENDETT, Ingmar HARTL
-
Publication number: 20120206793Abstract: An optical combiner 100 includes: fibers for propagation of pumping light 20 configured to propagate pumping light; a fiber for propagation of laser light 10 configured to propagate laser light having a longer wavelength than the pumping light; and a large area fiber 30 having a core 31 and a clad 32 and configured to propagate laser light and pumping light, in which one end surface of the fiber for propagation of laser light 10 and one end surface of the large area fiber 30 are fused, one end surfaces of the fibers for propagation of pumping light 20 and the one end surface of the large area fiber 30 are fused, and the fiber for propagation of laser light 10 and the fibers for propagation of pumping light 20 are not fused to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.Inventor: Hironori Tanaka
-
Publication number: 20120206794Abstract: High power parallel fiber arrays for the amplification of high peak power pulses are described. Fiber arrays based on individual fiber amplifiers as well as fiber arrays based on multi-core fibers can be implemented. The optical phase between the individual fiber amplifier elements of the fiber array is measured and controlled using a variety of phase detection and compensation techniques. High power fiber array amplifiers can be used for EUV and X-ray generation as well as pumping of parametric amplifiers.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: IMRA AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Martin E. FERMANN, Ingmar HARTL, Andrius MARCINKEVICIUS, Liang DONG
-
Patent number: 8243363Abstract: An optical signal processing apparatus includes an input unit to which signal light is input; a wave coupling unit that couples the signal light from the input unit and pump light having a waveform different from that of the signal light; a first nonlinear optical medium that transmits light coupled by the wave coupling unit, the light being the signal light and the pump light; a dispersion medium that transmits the light that has been transmitted through the first nonlinear optical medium; and a second nonlinear optical medium that transmits the light that has been transmitted through the dispersion medium.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2008Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Shigeki Watanabe