Article comprising a waveguide structure with improved pump utilization
US6411757B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 14, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 25, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/094003
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A waveguide structure for use with a pump laser is disclosed that is designed to counteract the decrease in pump power density. The waveguide structure may comprise an erbium-doped waveguide amplifier, a nonlinear waveguide wavelength converter device, or an optical fiber. The waveguide structure has a waveguide region that is tapered over a pump propagation distance, said distance being defined as a predetermined distance between a first pump site and a second pump site over which the pump light is propagated for signal amplification or conversion. The taper reduces the depletion in pump power as compared with prior art systems and may be kept substantially constant over the pump propagation length, thereby counteracting pump depletion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.