Cladding-pumped 3-level fiber laser/amplifier

US6836607B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CORNING INCORPORATED · US

Inventors

• Matthew John Dejneka · Corning, US
• Adam Ellison · Corning, US
• Dmitri Vladislavovich Kuksenkov · Corning, US
• John D. Minelly · Corning, US
• Carlton Maurice Truesdale · Corning, US
• Luis Alberto Zenteno · Corning, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 14, 2001
• Grant date: Dec 28, 2004
• Expiry date: Jun 12, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/09415
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optically active fiber (30) is disclosed for making a fiber laser (18) or an amplifier (16). This double-clad structured active fiber (30) has a core (34), doped with an optically excitable ion having a three-level transition. The core (34) has a core refractive index and a core cross-sectional area. An inner cladding (32) surrounds the core (34). The inner cladding (32) has an inner cladding refractive index less than the core refractive index, an inner cladding cross-sectional area between 2 and 25 times greater than that of the core cross-sectional area, and an aspect ratio greater than 1.5:1. An outer cladding (36) surrounds the inner cladding (32) and has an outer cladding refractive index less than the inner cladding refractive index.