Compact infrared broadband source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10394102-B2
Application number	US-201816185189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2018
Priority date	Jan 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

A device for the generation of supercontinuum in infrared fiber with a compact light source comprising a microchip laser is launched directly into an infrared fiber without a nonlinear element. Light from the laser is beyond the two-photon absorption of the infrared fiber. The broadband output has a bandwidth greater than the input laser bandwidth by at least 100% and an emission wavelength range from 2 to 14 micrometers.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for generating a supercontinuum in an infrared fiber with a light source, comprising:
a pulsed microchip laser having an input laser bandwidth, wherein said pulsed microchip laser has a pulse duration between 40 ps and 5 ns; and
an infrared fiber, wherein said infrared fiber is a chalcogenide glass fiber, wherein said pulsed microchip laser is launched directly into said infrared fiber without a nonlinear element, and wherein light from said pulsed microchip laser is beyond the two-photon absorption of said infrared fiber; and
a broadband output having a bandwidth greater than said input laser bandwidth by at least 100% and an emission wavelength range from 2 to 14 micrometers.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said pulsed microchip laser comprises an optically active element Nd, Yb, Er, Dy, Pr, Sm, Eu, Ho, Tm, a transition metal ion Cr or Fe, or any combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said pulsed microchip laser has a repetition rate between 100 Hz and 100 MHz.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said pulsed microchip laser has a pulse duration between 500 ps and 2 ns and a repetition rate between 10 kHz and 10 MHz.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device weighs 20 kg or less and has dimensions of 20 cm×20 cm×20 cm or less.

6. A device for generating a supercontinuum in an infrared fiber with a light source, comprising:
a pulsed microchip laser having an input laser bandwidth, wherein said pulsed microchip laser has a pulse duration between 40 ps and 5 ns; and
an infrared fiber, wherein said infrared fiber is a chalcogenide glass fiber, wherein said pulsed microchip laser is launched directly into said infrared fiber without a nonlinear element, and wherein light from said pulsed microchip laser is beyond the two-photon absorption of said infrared fiber; and
a broadband output having a bandwidth greater than said input laser bandwidth by at least 100% and an emission wavelength range from 2.8 to 6 micrometers.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein said pulsed microchip laser comprises an optically active element Nd, Yb, Er, Dy, Pr, Sm, Eu, Ho, Tm, a transition metal ion Cr or Fe, or any combination thereof.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein said pulsed microchip laser has a repetition rate between 100 Hz and 100 MHz.

9. The device of claim 6 , wherein said pulsed microchip laser has a pulse duration between 500 ps and 2 ns and a repetition rate between 10 kHz and 10 MHz.

10. The device of claim 6 , wherein said device weighs 20 kg or less and has dimensions of 20 cm×20 cm×20 cm or less.

Assignees

• Us Navy
• Us Gov Sec Navy

Inventors

• Gattass Rafael R
• Sanghera Jasbinder S
• Shaw L Brandon

Classifications

• H01S3/1643

  YAG · CPC title

• H01S3/0092

  Nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity (nonlinear frequency conversion per se G02F1/35) · CPC title

• H01S3/0627

  the resonator being monolithic, e.g. microlaser · CPC title

• G02F1/39

  for parametric generation or amplification of light, infrared or ultraviolet waves · CPC title

• G02F1/365

  in an optical waveguide structure (G02F1/377, {G02F1/395} take precedence) · CPC title