Patent · US Active

Apparatus and method for an erbium-doped fiber for high peak-power applications

US7570856B1 · kind B1 · utility

35Cited by
24References
22Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateDec 7, 2006
Grant dateAug 4, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 7, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/06729
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus using a gain medium in the form of a multiply clad gain fiber having an erbium-doped core. In some embodiments, aluminum and germanium are added to the silica core to make λ0 longer than the signal wavelength so the signal incurs normal dispersion. Optionally, a large-mode-area core amplifies primarily only one low-order mode because its NA is reduced by lowering the core's index of refraction (e.g., by adding fluorine) and/or by raising the index of the silica inner core (e.g., by adding germanium). Optionally, a thulium-doped region provides substantial loss at the first Raman-gain peak with respect to the signal wavelength but minimal loss at the signal or pump wavelength. Optionally, an inner cladding with a higher NA contains pump light within the outer boundaries of the cladding while allowing pump light to enter the core. In some embodiments, a triple cladding is provided.

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