MOPA laser system with back reflection protection

US10749310B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Föderung der Wissenschaften e.V. · US

Inventors

• Nicoletta Haarlammert · Jena, DE
• Thomas Schreiber · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 15, 2017
• Grant date: Aug 18, 2020
• Expiry date: Dec 15, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/5054
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a MOPA laser system having at least one laser oscillator (MO), which generates laser radiation at an emission wavelength (λ0), and having an optical amplifier (PA) downstream the laser oscillator (MO) in the propagation direction of the laser radiation, which optical amplifier amplifies the laser radiation and thereby spectrally broadens it to a useful bandwidth (Δλ). It is an object of the invention to provide an improved MOPA laser system which is designed for a high power of the amplified laser radiation and which is insensitive to back-reflection. Unavoidable back-reflections should neither affect the output power of the optical amplifier (PA), nor lead to the destruction of the laser oscillator (MO) or other components of the system. This object is achieved by the invention in that an optical bandpass filter (BPF) is arranged between laser oscillator (MO) and amplifier (PA), which optical bandpass filter is transparent to laser radiation at the emission wavelength (λ0), wherein those spectral components of the returning, that is, counter to the propagation direction, laser radiation impinging on the bandpass filter (BPF), which, in terms of wavelength,…