Internally modulated coupled cavity fiber lasers
US5936980A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 10, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/2383
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Laser apparatus for delivering optical power to an output port comprises first and second fiber lasers having at least partially overlapping cavity resonators. In one state the lasers are phase locked; in another they are not. An intracavity polarization transformer (e.g., a polarization modulator or a segment of PMF) determines the phase state of the apparatus. In each state the reflectivity of a reflector common to the lasers determines the amount of optical power which is delivered to the output port. In one embodiment the apparatus has a plurality of output ports to which separate utilization devices are coupled. The phase state of the lasers and the reflectivity of the common reflector determines how the optical power is allocated among the devices.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.