Systems and methods are described for producing an amplitude-modulated laser pulse train. The laser pulse train can be used to cause fluorescence in materials at which the pulse trains are directed. The parameters of the laser pulse train are selected to increase fluorescence relative to a constant-amplitude laser pulse train. The amplitude-modulated laser pulse trains produced using the teachings of this invention can be used to enable detection of specific molecules in applications such as gene or protein sequencing.

A laser system may include a controller configured to direct a plurality of temporally spaced-apart electrical pulses to a device that optically pumps a lasing medium, and a lasing medium configured to output a quasi-continuous laser pulse in response to the optical pumping. The plurality of temporally spaced-apart electrical pulses may include (a) a first electrical pulse configured to excite the lasing medium to an energy level below a lasing threshold of the lasing medium, and (b) multiple second electrical pulses following the first electrical pulse. The quasi-continuous laser pulse is output in response to the multiple second electrical pulses.

A laser device for laser resonance ionization includes a wavelength variable grating-type titanium-doped sapphire laser and includes a titanium (Ti) doped titanium sapphire crystal disposed within a resonator. The titanium sapphire crystal is fixedly disposed on a stage. The titanium-doped sapphire crystal can be moved in the optical axis direction by the stage, thereby changing the position of the titanium-doped sapphire crystal. The switching between the wideband mode and the high-output mode can be performed by changing the position of the titanium-doped sapphire crystal.

A method of key distribution, a key distribution system, a single photon source system and a method of generating single photons. The method of key distribution comprises the steps of: providing a free space optics, FSO, link between a transmitter and a receiver; detecting whether an eavesdropper is present along the FSO link; transmitting individual photons or weak coherent pulses, as an approximation of individual photons, each encoding a basic unit of the key according to a binary or higher number base system from the transmitter to the receiver; and comparing timing information associated with the transmission and reception of the individual photons for determining the key when it is detected that no eavesdropper is present along the FSO link.

Systems and methods for measuring temperature in an environment by creating a first beam having an energy of about 50 mJ/pulse, and a pulse duration of about 100 ps. A second beam is also created, having an energy of about 2.3 mJ/pulse, and a pulse duration of about 58 ps. The first beam and the second beam are directed into a probe region, thereby expressing an optical output. Properties of the optical output are measured at a sampling rate of at least about 100 kHz, and temperature measurements are derived from the measured properties of the optical output. Such systems and methods can be used to measure temperature in environments exhibiting highly turbulent and transient flow dynamics.

Good femtosecond fiber laser performance is achieved by producing picosecond Raman shifted pulses of sufficient intensity to undergo self-phase modulation (SPM), thus causing the pulses to advantageously spread spectrally, which then makes it possible to temporally compress the pulses with an optical compressor to produce femtosecond pulses with high peak power.

The present disclosure relates to a system for laser processing of a ceramic electrolyte material. The system may include a controller, a laser responsive to the controller for generating a beam, and a beam forming subsystem. The beam forming subsystem controls a parameter of the beam generated by the laser. The beam forming subsystem further controls the beam to provide a laser fluence sufficient to produce densification of the ceramic electrolyte material.

Methods, systems and apparatus are disclosed for delivery of pulsed treatment radiation by employing a pump radiation source generating picosecond pulses at a first wavelength, and a frequency-shifting resonator having a lasing medium and resonant cavity configured to receive the picosecond pulses from the pump source at the first wavelength and to emit radiation at a second wavelength in response thereto, wherein the resonant cavity of the frequency-shifting resonator has a round trip time shorter than the duration of the picosecond pulses generated by the pump radiation source. Methods, systems and apparatus are also disclosed for providing beam uniformity and a sub-harmonic resonator.

A system for pumping laser sustained plasma is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of pump modules configured to generate respective pulses of pump illumination for the laser sustained plasma, wherein at least one pump module is configured to generate a train of pump pulses that is interlaced in time with another train of pump pulses generated by at least one other pump module of the plurality of pump modules. The system further includes a plurality of non-collinear illumination paths configured to direct the respective pulses of pump illumination from the plurality of pump modules into a collection volume of the laser sustained plasma.

A single loop hardware-based system for producing laser pulses in a microsecond scale operational mode includes a GUI to enable a user to select the operational mode of the system; a laser source for producing one or more laser beam pulses, the laser source being a diode laser pump source module; a DSP which enables and disables a hardware-based FPGA. The FPGA controls the diode pump source module. When a user selects one or more microsecond scale laser sub-pulses on the GUI, the DSP transmits to the FPGA the sub-pulse energy level and the sub-pulse on-time selected by the user on the GUI. A photodetector operatively connected to the hardware-based system measures the power of the laser pulse beam that was transmitted to the photodetector and, in a feedback mode, transmits a feedback signal of that power measurement to the FPGA. The FPGA compares the power of the laser beam measured by the photodetector to the power of the laser beam selected by the user on the GUI. If the power level read by the FPGA is higher than the selected power level, the FGPA decreases the power level to the pumping source module for any subsequent laser pulses; and if the power level read by the FPGA is less than the selected power level, the FGPA increases the power level to the pumping source module for subsequent laser pulses.