This invention relates to the field of laser technology and more particularly to the ultra-short pulse generation methods and generators. One round trip of the ultra-short light pulse formation inside a generator optical loop comprises these steps: amplification of the light pulse, spectral broadening of the amplified light pulse due to the optical Kerr effect inside the optically transparent medium, selection of the predeterminated spectral components of the spectrally broadened light pulses by using the first spectrally-sensitive optical element, then again follows amplification of the selected light pulses, spectral broadening of the amplified light pulse due to the optical Kerr effect inside the optically transparent medium and selection of the predeterminated spectral components of the spectrally broadened light pulses by using the second spectrally-sensitive optical element, where spectral components of the light pulses selected using the first spectrally-sensitive optical element are different than the spectral components of the light pulses selected using the second spectrally-sensitive optical element.

Polarization-insensitive optical amplifiers are an alternative to current Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers, which provide wideband coverage while remaining cost and space effective for use in submarine cable applications. Polarization-insensitive optical amplifiers are an improvement to current semiconductor optical amplifier systems by providing desirable polarization-dependent gain and wideband coverage. This is achieved using polarization rotators comprised of a SOI-based waveguide and a twisted optical circuit.

A linear tunable laser comprising: a first tunable resonator, a second tunable resonator, an interferometer, an optical amplifier, and a power splitter. The first tunable resonator comprises a waveguide. The interferometer comprises a plurality of waveguides. At least one of the waveguides of the interferometer is optically connected to the first tunable resonator. The optical amplifier is optically connected to the interferometer. The second tunable resonator comprises a waveguide optically that is connected to the optical amplifier. The power splitter is for outputting light from the linear tunable laser.

A dummy light module includes a dual semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) light source configured to emit two substantially identical light emissions. The two light emissions include a first light emission and a second light emission, both having a first polarization. The dummy light module further includes a polarization rotator configured to rotate the second light emission to a second polarization, and a polarization beam combiner configured to generate dummy light by combining the first light emission with the first polarization and the second light emission with the second polarization.

This invention relates to the field of laser technology and more particularly to the ultra-short pulse generation methods and generators. One round trip of the ultra-short light pulse formation inside a generator optical loop comprises these steps: amplification of the light pulse, spectral broadening of the amplified light pulse due to the optical Kerr effect inside the optically transparent medium, selection of the predeterminated spectral components of the spectrally broadened light pulses by using the first spectrally-sensitive optical element, then again follows amplification of the selected light pulses, spectral broadening of the amplified light pulse due to the optical Kerr effect inside the optically transparent medium and selection of the predeterminated spectral components of the spectrally broadened light pulses by using the second spectrally-sensitive optical element, where spectral components of the light pulses selected using the first spectrally-sensitive optical element are different than the spectral components of the light pulses selected using the second spectrally-sensitive optical element.

Embodiments of the invention describe polarization insensitive optical devices utilizing polarization sensitive components. Light comprising at least one polarization state is received, and embodiments of the invention select a first optical path for light comprising a first polarization state or a second optical path for light comprising a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. The optical paths include components to at least amplify and/or modulate light comprising the first polarization state; the second optical path includes a polarization rotator to rotate light comprising the second polarization state to the first polarization state. Embodiments of the invention further describe optical devices including a polarization mode converter to convert light comprising a first and a second polarization state to light comprising different spatial modes of the first polarization state; light comprising the different spatial modes of the first polarization state is subsequently amplified and modulated.

A laser diode has a first gain section having a first length and a second gain section having a second length and aligned with the first gain section. The second gain section is aligned with and coupled to the first gain section along a light output direction. The second length is an integer multiple m of the first length, where m is greater than one.

A semiconductor optical amplifier array device includes: a substrate; and a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers formed on the substrate, each of the semiconductor optical amplifiers including an active region, and two input-output ports optically connected to the active region and disposed on same facet of the semiconductor optical amplifier array device. The plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers include a first semiconductor optical amplifier in which length of the active region is equal to a first length, and a second semiconductor optical amplifier in which length of the active region is equal to a second length that is different from the first length.