A laser apparatus, a measurement apparatus, and a measurement method are provided in which the laser apparatus outputs a frequency-modulated laser beam with a plurality of modes and includes: an optical cavity that has a gain medium for amplifying a light to be input, and an optical SSB modulator for shifting a frequency of the light amplified by the gain medium: and a control part that controls the optical SSB modulator to shift a frequency of a light to be input to the optical SSB modulator.

A photonic-based microwave generator includes a mode-locked laser that generates an optical pulse train, a feedback photodiode that samples the optical pulse train, and a servo amplifier that processes the photodiode output into a servo signal. The servo signal controls the mode-locked laser to suppress relative intensity noise on the optical pulse train. The microwave generator may also include a microwave photodiode for converting the optical pulse train into a microwave signal. The microwave generator may also include a second servo amplifier that processes a low-frequency output of the microwave photodiode into a second servo signal that drives an optical modulator that modulates the optical pulse train. The microwave photodiode, optical modulator, and servo amplifier form a feedback loop that suppresses amplitude noise on the microwave signal. By reducing amplitude noise and relative intensity noise, phase noise caused by amplitude-to-phase noise conversion is minimized.

A method and a device for generating a series of laser pulses in a laser device, particularly single and multiple bursts of pulses with a minimum temporal distance between the pulses in a single burst in the picosecond domain. The device includes at least a master oscillator and a regenerative amplifier. The method includes steps of injecting a laser pulse from the master oscillator into the regenerative amplifier, amplifying injected pulse burst during multiple round-trips in an optical cavity of the regenerative amplifier, ejecting amplified pulse burst from the cavity of the regenerative amplifier. The injection step involves applying a first intermediate voltage to an optical switch for a time span, during which pulses from the oscillator are injected into the amplifier, forming a burst of injected seed pulses, which are further amplified in the amplification step, in which the optical switch voltage is set to a locking voltage.

A method and a device for generating a series of laser pulses in a laser device, particularly single and multiple bursts of pulses with a minimum temporal distance between the pulses in a single burst in the picosecond domain. The device includes at least a master oscillator and a regenerative amplifier. The method includes steps of injecting a laser pulse from the master oscillator into the regenerative amplifier, amplifying injected pulse burst during multiple round-trips in an optical cavity of the regenerative amplifier, ejecting amplified pulse burst from the cavity of the regenerative amplifier. The injection step involves applying a first intermediate voltage to an optical switch for a time span, during which pulses from the oscillator are injected into the amplifier, forming a burst of injected seed pulses, which are further amplified in the amplification step, in which the optical switch voltage is set to a locking voltage.

A laser assembly is provided that includes a laser pump chamber that emits a first light through a laser cavity at a first wavelength, and a polarization assembly that receives the first light and converts the first light into a pulsed light that includes the first light at the first wavelength and a first polarization. The laser assembly also includes a second light at the first wavelength and a second polarization.

A laser assembly is provided that includes a laser pump chamber that emits a first light through a laser cavity at a first wavelength, and a polarization assembly that receives the first light and converts the first light into a pulsed light that includes the first light at the first wavelength and a first polarization. The laser assembly also includes a second light at the first wavelength and a second polarization.

A high Q whispering gallery mode resonator with ion-implanted voids is described. A resonator device includes a resonator disk formed of an electrooptic material. The resonator disk includes a top surface, a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, and a side structure between the top surface and the bottom surface. The side structure includes an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk, where a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves. The whispering gallery mode resonator disk includes voids localized at a particular depth from the top surface. At least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk. The resonator device can further include a first electrode on the top surface and a second electrode on the bottom surface.

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying laser energy having desired pulse characteristics, including a sufficiently short duration and/or a sufficiently high energy for the photomechanical treatment of skin pigmentations and pigmented lesions, both naturally-occurring (e.g., birthmarks), as well as artificial (e.g., tattoos). The laser energy may be generated with an apparatus having a resonator with the capability of switching between a modelocked pulse operating mode and an amplification operating mode. The operating modes are carried out through the application of a time-dependent bias voltage, having waveforms as described herein, to an electro-optical device positioned along the optical axis of the resonator.

Free-space optical (FSO) wireless transmission, including optical communications, remote-sensing, power beaming, etc., can be enhanced by replacing conventional laser sources that operate in the infrared portion of the optical spectrum with ultra-short pulsed laser (USPL) sources having peak pulse powers of one kWatt or greater and pulse lengths of less than one picosecond. Specifically, it has been observed that under these conditions the attenuation of an USPL beam having the same average optical power as a conventional laser in a lossy medium, such as the atmosphere, is substantially less than the attenuation of a conventional laser beam having a lower peak pulse power and/or a longer pulse width. The superior system performance when using an USPL can be translated into an increased distance between a laser source in a transmitter and a photodetector in receiver and/or a higher reliability of system operation in inclement weather conditions.

A high Q whispering gallery mode resonator with ion-implanted voids is described. A resonator device includes a resonator disk formed of an electrooptic material. The resonator disk includes a top surface, a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, and a side structure between the top surface and the bottom surface. The side structure includes an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk, where a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves. The whispering gallery mode resonator disk includes voids localized at a particular depth from the top surface. At least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk. The resonator device can further include a first electrode on the top surface and a second electrode on the bottom surface.