Apparatus, systems, and methods for a bidirectional mode-locked all-polarization maintaining fiber laser with two counter-propagating, orthogonally polarized pulses are applicable in a variety of applications. A mode-locked fiber laser can be realized with a laser cavity including a first polarization maintaining gain fiber, a second polarization maintaining gain fiber, and a saturable absorber. The saturable absorber can be arranged with the first polarization maintaining gain fiber and the second polarization maintaining gain fiber to generate two counter-propagating pulses, being orthogonally polarized with respect to each other. The laser cavity can include a circulator arranged to provide separate paths for the two counter-propagating pulses in a portion of the fiber laser cavity.

A method and apparatus for maintaining a free-standing region of a film including a network of High Aspect Ratio Molecular structures (HARM-structures). The method includes electrically coupling the film to two or more electrodes at two or more peripheral locations of the film and passing electric charge across the free-standing region of the film to create a magnetic attraction between the HARM-structures in the network.

A system is provided herein. The system includes an electro-optic modulated (EOM) comb generator including an opto-electronic oscillator (OEO) loop to modulate a continuous-wave seed source and form an EOM comb, a saturable absorber to perform non-linear pulse shaping of the EOM comb, and a tunable filter having resonances matching a frequency spacing of the EOM comb. The tunable filter filters the EOM comb from the saturable absorber to provide an output EOM comb.

A system is provided herein. The system includes an electro-optic modulated (EOM) comb generator including an opto-electronic oscillator (OEO) loop to modulate a continuous-wave seed source and form an EOM comb, a saturable absorber to perform non-linear pulse shaping of the EOM comb, and a tunable filter having resonances matching a frequency spacing of the EOM comb. The tunable filter filters the EOM comb from the saturable absorber to provide an output EOM comb.

A system and method for generating ultra-short pulses intended to be inserted into a ring laser with a regulator of a pulsed signal of a certain intensity, the system includes an optical attenuator that allows the intensity of the pulsed signal to be adjusted at the input of an optical guide section, and a distributed amplification device inserted in the optical guide that make it possible to manage the power of the signal therein, so that it propagates as solitons or as self-similar pulses without suffering unwanted distortions despite the increase in the length of the laser cavity, increasing the power of the pulsed signal and making it possible to exceed the usual power limits of this type of laser.

A fractional handpiece and systems thereof for skin treatment include a passively Q-switched laser assembly operatively connected to a pump laser source to receive a pump laser beam having a first wavelength and a beam-splitting assembly operable to scan a solid beam emitted by the passively Q-switched laser assembly and form an array of micro-beams across a segment of skin. The passively Q-switched laser assembly generates a sub-nanosecond pulsed laser beam having a second wavelength. The fractional handpiece may also incorporate a wavelength switching assembly, enabling selective delivery of both the second and third wavelengths, while providing control over the energy output at each wavelength, all within a single handpiece. The passively Q-switched laser assembly has an unstable cavity operation.

A fractional handpiece and systems thereof for skin treatment include a passively Q-switched laser assembly operatively connected to a pump laser source to receive a pump laser beam having a first wavelength and a beam-splitting assembly operable to scan a solid beam emitted by the passively Q-switched laser assembly and form an array of micro-beams across a segment of skin. The passively Q-switched laser assembly generates a sub-nanosecond pulsed laser beam having a second wavelength. The fractional handpiece may also incorporate a wavelength switching assembly, enabling selective delivery of both the second and third wavelengths, while providing control over the energy output at each wavelength, all within a single handpiece. The passively Q-switched laser assembly has an unstable cavity operation.

A radiation field generating system comprising an optical unit with an optical assembly which defines an optical path is provided, wherein the optical unit is operable in several different operation conditions and the optical assembly comprises at least one optical switching component with which switching between at least two different operation conditions of the several operation conditions can be performed.

A radiation field generating system comprising an optical unit with an optical assembly which defines an optical path is provided, wherein the optical unit is operable in several different operation conditions and the optical assembly comprises at least one optical switching component with which switching between at least two different operation conditions of the several operation conditions can be performed.

Gaseous laser systems and related techniques are disclosed. Techniques disclosed herein may be utilized, in accordance with some embodiments, in providing a gaseous laser system with a configuration that provides (A) pump illumination with distinct edge surfaces for an extended depth and (B) an output beam illumination from a resonator cavity with distinct edges in its reflectivity profile, thereby providing (C) pump beam and resonator beam illumination on a volume so that the distinct edge surfaces of its pump and resonator beam illumination are shared-edge surfaces with (D) further edge surfaces of the amplifier volume at the surfaces illuminated directly by the pump or resonator beams, as defined by optical windows and (optionally) by one or more flowing gas curtains depleted of the alkali vapor flowing along those optical windows. Techniques disclosed herein may be implemented, for example, in a diode-pumped alkali laser (DPAL) system, in accordance with some embodiments.