Long cavity laser system including frequency doubling long cavity fiber optic laser system

US5966391A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• McDonnell Douglas Corporation · US

Inventors

• Mark S. Zediker · Castle Rock, US
• Robert A. Rice · Raleigh, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 27, 1997
• Grant date: Oct 12, 1999
• Expiry date: Jun 27, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/1611
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A polarization controlled laser system receiving a pump laser beam includes a long laser cavity for precluding mode hopping. Preferably, the long laser cavity is defined by first and second dichroic reflectors, a rare earth doped optical fiber disposed between the first and second dichroic reflectors for amplifying the pump laser beam to thereby produce an amplified laser beam, a polarization controller for controlling polarization of the amplified laser beam, and a polarization selector for selecting the polarization of the amplified laser beam. The polarization selector can include a polarizing optical fiber while the polarization controller advantageously may include a polarization maintaining optical fiber. Alternatively, the rare-earth doped optical fiber, the polarization controller, and the polarization selector are all formed from a single polarizing rare-earth doped optical fiber. The polarization controlled laser system may be converted to a frequency doubled polarization controlled laser system by adding a doubling crystal to the long laser cavity. Methods for generating polarization controlled laser beams using a long laser cavity formed from a rare-earth doped optical …