A passively, Q-switched laser is described. The laser may operate at an eye-safe lasing wavelength of 1.34 microns and use a gain element of Nd:YVO.sub.4 and a saturable absorber element of V:YAG with a space separating the gain element and saturable absorber element. The Q-switched laser is pumped by a grating stabilized laser diode. The laser may be used in laser ranging applications.

A Raman fiber laser includes a pump light source, a reflective end mirror, a wavelength division multiplexer, a Raman gain fiber, and an output end mirror. The output end mirror is an ultra-low reflectance fiber Bragg grating. The reflective end mirror is connected to a reflective end of the wavelength division multiplexer. The pump light source is connected to an input end of the wavelength division multiplexer. One end of the Raman gain fiber is connected to a common end of the wavelength division multiplexer, and the other end of the Raman gain fiber is connected to the ultra-low reflectance fiber Bragg grating. The laser of the present invention can reduce loss of laser light at the reflective end mirror, thereby increasing laser light optical conversion efficiency and output power, and simultaneously achieving high time domain stability and extremely low coherence.

In accordance with an example embodiment, a laser arrangement is provided, the laser arrangement comprising a light source for generating light output; a collimator assembly for collimating the light output from the light source into a pump beam; an optical resonator assembly for generating pulsed output beam based on the pump beam directed thereat; and a beam displacement assembly for laterally shifting the pump beam to adjust the position at which the pump beam meets a surface of the optical resonator assembly.

An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser that generates a CW sustaining light. A pump laser generates pump light. A Q-switched laser crystal receives the pump light generated by the pump laser and generates pulsed laser light at an output in response to the generated pump light. A first optical element projects the pulsed laser light along a first axis to a breakdown region in a gas-filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A second optical element projects the CW sustaining light along a second axis to a CW plasma region in the gas-filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas. A detector detects plasma light generated by a CW plasma and generates a detection signal at an output. A controller generates control signals that control the pump light to the Q-switched laser crystal so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light within a time delay after the detection signal exceeds a threshold level.

An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser that generates a CW sustaining light. A pump laser generates pump light. A Q-switched laser crystal receives the pump light generated by the pump laser and generates pulsed laser light at an output in response to the generated pump light. A first optical element projects the pulsed laser light along a first axis to a breakdown region in a gas-filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A second optical element projects the CW sustaining light along a second axis to a CW plasma region in the gas-filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas. A detector detects plasma light generated by a CW plasma and generates a detection signal at an output. A controller generates control signals that control the pump light to the Q-switched laser crystal so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light within a time delay after the detection signal exceeds a threshold level.

A laser oscillator includes a first structure disposed with an optical section, a second structure disposed with a power source section, and an electric cable that electrically connects the optical section and the power source section. The first structure is removably coupled to the second structure, the electric cable is removably connected to at least one of the power source section and the optical section, and the optical section is allowed to be replaced.

A gain adjuster, a gain adjustment method, and an optical line terminal are provided, to separately adjust a gain of a to-be-adjusted optical signal. The gain adjuster includes a light spot conversion component and a gain medium that are sequentially coupled. The gain adjuster further includes a pump laser. The light spot conversion component is configured to adjust light spot sizes of at least some optical signals in received optical signals to output a first optical signal transmitted in space. The pump laser is configured to excite the gain medium. The gain medium is configured to adjust a gain of the first optical signal to output a second optical signal.

A passively, Q-switched laser operating at an eye safe wavelength of between 1.2 and 1.4 microns is described. The laser may operate at a lasing wavelength of 1.34 microns and use a gain element of Nd:YVO.sub.4 and a saturable absorber element of V:YAG. The position of the resonator axial mode spectrum relative to a gain peak of the gain element is controlled to yield desired characteristics in the laser output.

A single-mode micro-laser based on a single whispering gallery mode optical microcavity and a preparation method thereof described includes: preparing a desired single whispering gallery mode optical microcavity doped with rare earth ions or containing a gain material such as quantum dots, wherein an optical microcavity configuration include a micro-disk cavity, a ring-shaped microcavity, and a racetrack-shaped microcavity; a material type include lithium niobate, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, etc.; preparing an optical fiber cone or an optical waveguide of a required size which can excite high-order modes of the optical microcavity, such as a ridge waveguide and a circular waveguides; and coupling, integrating, and packaging the optical fiber cone or the optical waveguide with the microcavity. A pump light is coupled to the optical fiber cone or the optical waveguide to excite a compound mode with a polygonal configuration.

A thin film Brewster coupling device configured for low loss transmission of an imposed polarized parallel to plane of incidence 8.5 micron to 11.5 micron wavelength laser beam and simultaneous high reflectivity of a polarized perpendicular to plane of incidence 2 micron to 4 micron wavelength laser beam. The device comprising an optical media substrate and at least one dielectric stack optically coupled to the optical media substrate where the dielectric stack comprises a dielectric layer and an overlayer, the dielectric layer and the overlayer each comprising a thickness of nominally a quarter wavelength of the 2 micron to 4 micron wavelength laser beam, and oriented at near the Brewster Angle to the incident 8.5 micron to 11.5 micron wavelength laser beam. The substrate and dielectric mediums of necessary characteristics to result in low LIDT, high strength, chemical inertness and high thermal conductivity.