Examples of robust self-starting passively mode locked fiber oscillators are described. In certain implementations, the oscillators are configured as Fabry-Perot cavities containing an optical loop mirror on one cavity end and a bulk mirror or saturable absorber on the other end. The loop mirror can be further configured with an adjustable line phase delay to optimize modelocking. All intra-cavity fiber(s) can be polarization maintaining. Dispersion compensation components such as, e.g., dispersion compensation fibers, bulk diffraction gratings or fiber Bragg gratings may be included. The oscillators may include a bandpass filter to obtain high pulse energies when operating in the similariton regime. The oscillator output can be amplified and used whenever high power short pulses are required. For example the oscillators can be configured as frequency comb sources or supercontinuum sources. In conjunction with repetition rate modulation, applications include dual scanning delay lines and trace gas detection.

Examples of robust self-starting passively mode locked fiber oscillators are described. In certain implementations, the oscillators are configured as Fabry-Perot cavities containing an optical loop mirror on one cavity end and a bulk mirror or saturable absorber on the other end. The loop mirror can be further configured with an adjustable line phase delay to optimize modelocking. All intra-cavity fiber(s) can be polarization maintaining. Dispersion compensation components such as, e.g., dispersion compensation fibers, bulk diffraction gratings or fiber Bragg gratings may be included. The oscillators may include a bandpass filter to obtain high pulse energies when operating in the similariton regime. The oscillator output can be amplified and used whenever high power short pulses are required. For example the oscillators can be configured as frequency comb sources or supercontinuum sources. In conjunction with repetition rate modulation, applications include dual scanning delay lines and trace gas detection.

A system for optical comb carrier envelope offset frequency control includes a mode-locked oscillator. The mode-locked oscillator produces an output beam using an input beam and one or more control signals. The output beam includes a controlled carrier envelope offset frequency. A beat note generator produces a beat note signal using a portion of the output beam. A control signal generator produces the one or more control signals to set the beat note signal by modulating the intensity of the input beam within the mode locked oscillator. Modulating the intensity comprises using a Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator or using an intensity modulated external laser to affect a gain medium within the mode-locked laser.

An example of the disclosure is a laser apparatus including a master oscillator capable of outputting a pulse laser beam, a plurality of optical amplifiers disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser beam outputted from the master oscillator and configured to sequentially amplify the pulse laser beam, an optical reflector capable of passing the pulse laser beam therethrough and reflecting a self-oscillation beam generated in one of the plurality of optical amplifiers, and an optical absorber capable of receiving and absorbing the self-oscillation beam reflected by the optical reflector.

An example of the disclosure is a laser apparatus including a master oscillator capable of outputting a pulse laser beam, a plurality of optical amplifiers disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser beam outputted from the master oscillator and configured to sequentially amplify the pulse laser beam, an optical reflector capable of passing the pulse laser beam therethrough and reflecting a self-oscillation beam generated in one of the plurality of optical amplifiers, and an optical absorber capable of receiving and absorbing the self-oscillation beam reflected by the optical reflector.

A swept light source of the present invention keeps a coherence length of an output beam long over an entire sweep wavelength range. A gain of a gain medium is changed with time in response to a wavelength sweep and the coherence length is kept maximum. The gain of the gain medium is kept close to a lasing threshold and an unsaturated gain range of the gain medium is narrowed over the entire sweep wavelength range. An SOA current waveform data acquiring method of driving while keeping the coherence length long, a novel coherence length measuring method, and an optical deflector suitable for the swept light source are also disclosed.

A swept light source of the present invention keeps a coherence length of an output beam long over an entire sweep wavelength range. A gain of a gain medium is changed with time in response to a wavelength sweep and the coherence length is kept maximum. The gain of the gain medium is kept close to a lasing threshold and an unsaturated gain range of the gain medium is narrowed over the entire sweep wavelength range. An SOA current waveform data acquiring method of driving while keeping the coherence length long, a novel coherence length measuring method, and an optical deflector suitable for the swept light source are also disclosed.

The present invention discloses a high-peak-power single-frequency narrow-linewidth nanosecond fiber laser based on a triangular pulse, wherein the laser includes: pulsed laser generated by the laser seed injecting into a first power pre-amplifier through a first isolator, and then injecting into a second pre-amplifier and then injecting into a power amplifier; wherein triangle-shaped pulsed laser with fast rising edge is obtained by using electro-optic and acousto-optic modulator to modulate continuous wave single-frequency laser or a single-frequency semiconductor laser directly modulated by radio frequency signal; single-frequency triangle-shaped pulsed laser is employed as the laser source according to the characteristics of narrow intrinsic linewidth and suppression of linewidth broadening caused by SPM, and the power of pulsed laser is amplified through the MOPA system.

The present invention discloses a high-peak-power single-frequency narrow-linewidth nanosecond fiber laser based on a triangular pulse, wherein the laser includes: pulsed laser generated by the laser seed injecting into a first power pre-amplifier through a first isolator, and then injecting into a second pre-amplifier and then injecting into a power amplifier; wherein triangle-shaped pulsed laser with fast rising edge is obtained by using electro-optic and acousto-optic modulator to modulate continuous wave single-frequency laser or a single-frequency semiconductor laser directly modulated by radio frequency signal; single-frequency triangle-shaped pulsed laser is employed as the laser source according to the characteristics of narrow intrinsic linewidth and suppression of linewidth broadening caused by SPM, and the power of pulsed laser is amplified through the MOPA system.

Provided is a laser oscillation device including; a plurality of semiconductor laser diodes (1a to 1e); optical component (5) that directs a plurality of laser beams emitted from the plurality of semiconductor laser diodes in a specific direction to generate a superimposed laser beam including the plurality of laser beams and propagating in the specific direction; and optical switching element (130) that receives the superimposed laser beam from optical component (5). The superimposed laser beam has a plurality of wavelengths.