Method and apparatus for a hybrid mode-locked fiber laser
An apparatus for producing coherent pulsed light with a fiber-based master oscillator/fiber amplifier architecture includes a fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source. The fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source is configured to provide pulses having a pulse duration of less than 1 ns. The apparatus also includes a fiber-coupled amplitude modulator optically coupled to the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source. The fiber-coupled amplitude modulator is capable of gate durations greater than 1 ns. The apparatus further includes a saturated fiber power amplifier optically coupled to the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator.
1. An apparatus for producing coherent pulsed light with a fiber-based master oscillator/fiber amplifier architecture, the apparatus comprising:
a fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source configured to provide pulses having a pulse duration of less than 1 ns;
a fiber-coupled amplitude modulator optically coupled to the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source, the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator configured for gate durations greater than 1 ns to deliver gated pulse packets having more than one pulse per pulse packet; and
a fiber power amplifier optically coupled to the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator and configured for operating in a saturated mode from the pulse packets,
wherein the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator comprises at least one of a Mach-Zehnder modulator or an acousto-optic modulator, each modulator configured to deliver gated pulse packets having more than one pulse per pulse packet.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a wavelength of operation of the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source ranges from about 1015 nm to about 1085 nm.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source comprises a rare earth doped active fiber.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fiber power amplifier comprises:
a preamplifier fiber gain stage optically coupled to the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator; and
an amplifier fiber gain stage optically coupled to the preamplifier fiber gain stage.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pulse compressor optically coupled to the fiber power amplifier.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more frequency conversion stages optically coupled to the fiber power amplifier.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the one or more frequency conversion stages comprises a nonlinear crystal.
8. An apparatus for producing coherent pulsed light with a fiber-based master oscillator/fiber amplifier architecture, the apparatus comprising:
a fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source configured to provide pulses having a pulse duration of less than 1 ns and comprising a rare earth doped active fiber;
a fiber-coupled amplitude modulator optically coupled to the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source, the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator configured for gate durations greater than 1 ns to deliver gated pulse packets having more than one pulse per pulse packet; and
a fiber power amplifier optically coupled to the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator and configured for operating in a saturated mode from the pulse packets.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a wavelength of operation of the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source ranges from about 1015 nm to about 1085 nm.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator comprises at least one of a Mach-Zehnder modulator or an acousto-optic modulator, each modulator configured to deliver gated pulse packets having more than one pulse per pulse packet.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the fiber power amplifier comprises:
a preamplifier fiber gain stage optically coupled to the fiber-coupled amplitude modulator; and
an amplifier fiber gain stage optically coupled to the preamplifier fiber gain stage.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a pulse compressor optically coupled to the fiber power amplifier.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising one or more frequency conversion stages optically coupled to the fiber power amplifier.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the one or more frequency conversion stages comprises a nonlinear crystal.
15. A method for producing coherent pulsed light with a fiber-based master oscillator/fiber amplifier architecture, the method comprising:
providing electromagnetic radiation pulses having a pulse duration of less than 1 ns from a fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source;
gating the electromagnetic radiation for a duration longer than 1 ns into gated pulse packets such that each pulse packet includes multiple electromagnetic radiation pulses; and
saturating a fiber power amplifier with the pulse packets to produce a coherent laser beam from the fiber power amplifier,
wherein the gating is performed by at least one of a Mach-Zehnder modulator or an acousto-optic modulator.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein a wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation pulses from the fiber-coupled mode-locked laser source ranges from about 1015 nm to about 1085 nm.
17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
preamplifying the pulse packets in a fiber preamplifier gain stage; and
amplifying the preamplified pulse packets in an amplifier fiber gain stage.
18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
compressing peaks in the coherent laser beam from the fiber power amplifier.
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
converting a frequency of peaks in the coherent laser beam from the fiber power amplifier.