Patent · US Expired

Optical pulse generator

US5093833A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
2References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 15, 1991
Grant dateMar 3, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 15, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S5/4031
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A fast rise time optical pulse generator is provided which utilizes a laser cavity having a gain medium with a pair of cavity arms extending therefrom, each cavity arm having a feedback element at its distal end. The gain medium has the property that if optical waves enter the gain medium from the two arms simultaneously, the gain is reduced. This will generally occur as a result of a gain saturation effect such as spatial hole burning. Since the gain reduction does not occur for pulses of a length equal to the length of the laser cavity or for odd submultiples of such pulses, outputs are obtained at one of these pulse lengths. Various means are provided for tuning the system to the desire harmonic.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.