VCSEL pumped fiber optic gain systems

• Main Authors: Wang, Qing, Ghosh, Chuni, Lal, Seurin, Jean-Francois, Watkins, Laurence
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 29.11.2017
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION; ELECTRICITY

A regenerative fiber optic amplifier system comprising a fiber optical pump module (1501) including a plurality of VCSEL emitters and an optical fiber to output a pump beam generated in said optical pump module; a first reflector (1550); a second reflector (1540), the second reflector having a reflectivity significantly higher than a reflectivity of the first reflector; a fiber gain element (1542) having a core doped with a plurality of optically active ions, wherein a first end of the fiber gain element is connected to the optical fiber via the first reflector so as to couple the pump beam to the fiber gain element; an acousto-optic switch (1560) including at least three ports (1561, 1562, 1563), wherein a first port (1561) of the acousto-optic switch is connected to a second end of the fiber gain element, and a second port (1562) of the acousto-optic switch is connected to the second reflector, so as to form a regenerative resonant cavity between the first and second reflectors enclosing the fiber gain element via the acousto-optic switch; a circulator (1570) having at least three ports (1571, 1572, 1573) that are independent of each other, wherein a first output port (1572) of the circulator is connected to a third port (1563) of the acousto-optic switch; an optical signal source (1540) connected to a second port (1571) of the circulator to transmit a signal pulse to the regenerative resonant cavity through the first output port of the circulator and the acousto-optic switch, wherein upon closing the acousto-optic switch in synchronization with pulse operation of the pump module, the pump beam recirculates until the signal in the regenerative resonant cavity amplifies to a saturation limit, and subsequently upon opening the acousto-optic switch, an amplified signal pulse is transmitted from the gain element to a third port (1573) of the circulator via the acousto-optic switch.