Optical amplifying systems and methods

1. An optical fiber amplifying system, the optical fiber amplifying system providing amplified optical radiation having an active wavelength, the optical fiber amplifying system comprising:

one or more first optical pump sources, each configured to output radiation of a pump wavelength;

a bridge optical fiber, having an input end configured to receive the radiation of the pump wavelength output by the one or more first optical pump sources and an output end, the bridge optical fiber comprising:

an inner core configured to guide radiation of the active wavelength, the inner core having an inner core active wavelength refractive index profile and an inner core pump wavelength refractive index profile;

an annular pump core disposed about the inner core, the annular pump core being configured to guide radiation of the pump wavelength, the annular pump core having an annular pump core active wavelength refractive index profile and an annular pump core pump wavelength refractive index profile;

one or more first claddings disposed between the inner core and the annular pump core, the one or more first claddings having a first cladding active wavelength refractive index profile and a first cladding pump wavelength refractive index profile; and

one or more outer claddings disposed about the annular pump core, the one or more outer claddings having an outer cladding active wavelength refractive index profile and an outer cladding pump wavelength refractive index profile;

wherein

the one or more first claddings and the annular pump core are configured to substantially confine one or more guided modes at the active wavelength in the inner core, and

wherein less than 30% of the intensity distribution at the pump wavelength at the output end of the bridge optical fiber overlaps the inner core of the active optical fiber, and

an active optical fiber having a first end substantially directly coupled to the output end of the bridge optical fiber, and a second end, the active optical fiber having an active core, a pump cladding surrounding the active core, and one or more outer claddings surrounding the pump cladding, the active optical fiber being configured to amplify radiation of the first active wavelength when pumped with radiation of the pump wavelength.

2. The optical fiber amplifying system according claim 1 , wherein the one or more first optical pump sources comprise one or more laser diodes.

3. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical path length of the bridge optical fiber is greater than 50 cm.

4. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical path length of the bridge optical fiber is greater than 10 cm.

5. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the overlap between the distribution of the intensity at the pump wavelength carried by the bridge optical fiber at its output end and the active core of the active optical fiber is no more than about 30%.

6. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the overlap between the intensity distribution at the pump wavelength at the output end of the bridge optical fiber and the intensity distribution at the active wavelength at the first end of the active optical fiber is no more than about 30%.

7. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the overlap between the intensity distribution at the pump wavelength at the output end of the bridge optical fiber and the intensity distribution at the active wavelength at the output end of the bridge optical fiber is no more than about 30%.

8. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the inner core, the one or more first claddings, the annular pump core and the one or more outer claddings exclusive of any outer claddings that are polymeric materials comprises at least 75% silicon dioxide.

9. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the one or more first claddings is a pedestal cladding disposed immediately adjacent to the inner core.

10. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 9 , wherein the inner core is single moded at the active wavelength.

11. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more first claddings, the inner core and the one or more outer claddings are configured to substantially confine a plurality of modes at the pump wavelength in the annular pump core.

12. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more first claddings are at least 30 microns in thickness.

13. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , wherein the output end of the bridge optical fiber and the first end of the active optical fiber are directly interconnected by a fusion splice.

14. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 13 , wherein the rare earth is thulium or ytterbium.

15. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , further comprising a seed optical source configured to provide radiation of the first amplified wavelength to the active optical fiber.

16. The optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 , further comprising a pump coupler or combiner having one or more pump input ports, each pump input port being optically coupled to one of the one or more pump sources, and an output port optically coupled to the input port of the bridge optical fiber.

17. A method for generating or amplifying optical radiation having an active wavelength, the method comprising

providing an optical fiber amplifying system according to claim 1 ;

transmitting radiation of the pump wavelength from the one or more first optical pump sources to the input end of the bridge optical fiber;

transmitting the radiation of the pump wavelength from the input end of the bridge optical fiber to the output end of the bridge optical fiber; and

transmitting the radiation of the pump wavelength from the output end of the bridge optical fiber to the first end of the active optical fiber, thereby generating or amplifying radiation of the active wavelength in the active optical fiber.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising transmitting radiation of the active wavelength from a seed source to the active core of the active optical fiber.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the maximum temperature reached in the first five centimeters of the active optical fiber at the first end thereof is no more than about 250° C.

20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein at the first end of the active optical fiber, the radiation of the active wavelength is spatially overlapped, in a region whose edges are defined by the points where the radiation intensity of the active wavelength is 5% of the peak intensity of the radiation of the active wavelength, by radiation of the pump wavelength in an amount corresponding to less than 20% of the radiation of the pump wavelength.

21. A bridge optical fiber comprising

an inner core configured to guide radiation of the active wavelength, the inner core having an inner core active wavelength refractive index profile and an inner core pump wavelength refractive index profile;

an annular pump core disposed about the inner core, the annular pump core being configured to guide radiation of the pump wavelength, the annular pump core having an annular pump core active wavelength refractive index profile and an annular pump core pump wavelength refractive index profile;

one or more first claddings disposed between the inner core and the annular pump core, the one or more first claddings having a first cladding active wavelength refractive index profile and a first cladding pump wavelength refractive index profile; and

one or more outer claddings disposed about the annular pump core, the one or more outer claddings having an outer cladding active wavelength refractive index profile and an outer cladding pump wavelength refractive index profile;

wherein

the one or more first claddings and the annular pump core are configured to substantially confine one or more guided modes at the active wavelength in the inner core, and

wherein less than 30% of the intensity distribution at the pump wavelength at the output end of the bridge optical fiber overlaps the inner core of the active optical fiber.

22. A method for generating or amplifying optical radiation having an active wavelength, the method comprising

providing an optical fiber amplifying system comprising:

one or more first optical pump sources, each configured to output radiation of a pump wavelength;

a bridge optical fiber, having an input configured to receive the radiation of the pump wavelength output by the one or more first optical pump sources and an output, the bridge optical fiber comprising:

an inner core configured to guide radiation of the active wavelength, the inner core having an inner core active wavelength refractive index profile and an inner core pump wavelength refractive index profile;

an annular pump core disposed about the inner core, the annular pump core being configured to guide radiation of the pump wavelength, the annular pump core having an annular pump core active wavelength refractive index profile and an annular pump core pump wavelength refractive index profile; and

one or more outer claddings disposed about the annular pump core, the one or more outer claddings having an outer cladding active wavelength refractive index profile and an outer cladding pump wavelength refractive index profile; and

an active optical fiber having a first end substantially directly coupled to the output end of the bridge optical fiber, and a second end, the active optical fiber having an active core, a pump cladding surrounding the active core, and one or more outer claddings surrounding the pump cladding, the active optical fiber being configured to amplify radiation of the first active wavelength when pumped with radiation of the pump wavelength;

transmitting radiation of the pump wavelength from the one or more first optical pump sources to the input end of the bridge optical fiber;

transmitting the radiation of the pump wavelength from the input end of the bridge optical fiber to the output end of the bridge optical fiber; and

transmitting the radiation of the pump wavelength from the output end of the bridge optical fiber to the first end of the active optical fiber, thereby generating or amplifying radiation of the active wavelength in the active optical fiber,

wherein

the bridge optical fiber substantially confines one or more guided modes of the radiation of the active wavelength in the inner core thereof,

less than 30% of the intensity distribution at the pump wavelength at the second end of the bridge optical fiber overlaps the inner core of the active optical fiber, and

wherein at the first end of the active optical fiber, the radiation of the active wavelength is spatially overlapped, in a region whose edges are defined by the points where the radiation intensity of the active wavelength is 5% of the peak intensity of the radiation of the active wavelength, by radiation of the pump wavelength in an amount corresponding to less than 25% of the radiation of the pump wavelength.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the maximum temperature reached in the first five centimeters of the active optical fiber at the first end thereof is no more than about 250° C.