Disclosed are dielectric cavity arrays with cavities formed by pairs of dielectric tips, wherein the cavities have low mode volume (e.g., 7*10.sup.−5λ.sup.3, where X is the resonance wavelength of the cavity array), and large quality factor Q (e.g., 10.sup.6 or more). Applications for such dielectric cavity arrays include, but are not limited to, Raman spectroscopy, second harmonic generation, optical signal detection, microwave-to-optical transduction, and as light emitting devices.

An optical amplifier of the present disclosure includes a Raman amplification unit and a parametric amplification unit that is configured of a second-order nonlinear element including a PPLN waveguide. In the optical amplifier, second harmonic lights are generated from a fundamental wave light having a wavelength that is slightly detuned to a shorter wavelength side with respect to a phase matching wavelength of the second-order nonlinear element, and is utilized as excitation light for the parametric amplification unit. By utilizing the excitation light based on the fundamental wave light of the wavelength detuned from the phase matching wavelength, a phase matching curve can be obtained in a wide band in a difference frequency generation (DFG) process of the second-order nonlinear element. The reduction in conversion efficiency of the wavelength near the excitation light in the parametric amplification unit is compensated by the Raman amplification unit.

Optical frequency combs are used for a wide range of applications, some of which require precise control of the amplitude and phase of individual comb teeth. A technique is provided for tooth-level optical frequency comb control. A frequency comb may include a plurality of comb teeth that are separated from one another by a comb frequency spacing. This technique includes generating a train of control pulses, each of the control pulses being frequency-locked to a corresponding tooth of an optical frequency comb to be controlled. The tooth-level control of the frequency comb is enabled via stimulated Brillouin scattering using the train of control pulses.

A technology is described for a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) radio frequency (RF) oscillator. The PIC RF oscillator can comprise an optical gain media coupled to a first mirror and configured to be coupled to the PIC. The PIC can comprise a first optical cavity located within the PIC, a tunable mirror to form a first optical path between the first mirror in the gain media and the first tunable mirror, and a frequency tunable intra-cavity dual tone resonator positioned within the first optical cavity to constrain the first optical cavity having a common optical path to produce tow primary laser tones with a tunable frequency spacing. A photo detector is optically coupled to the PIC and configured to mix the two primary laser tones to form an RF output signal with a frequency selected by the tunable frequency spacing of the two primary tones.

A tube preparation step of preparing a resin tube that has a tube wall impregnable with a solution including a fine substance and is made of a light-transmitting resin material, a solution preparation step of preparing a solution that includes a fine fluorescent substance that emits fluorescence or a fine scattering substance that scatters light as an oscillation material and an impregnation step of causing the resin tube to be immersed in the solution and causing the tube wall of the resin tube to be impregnated with the oscillation material, are included.

The invention discloses a Raman laser apparatus including a linear cavity having a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, the linear cavity including along the first direction: a first optical component, a gain medium, a Raman medium, a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal and a second optical component. The first optical component receives an incident pumping light in the first direction. The gain medium receives the pumping light from the first optical component, and generates a first infrared base laser having a first wavelength. The Raman medium receives the first infrared base laser, and generates a second infrared base laser having a second wavelength. The LBO crystal receives the first and the second infrared base lasers, and generates a visible laser light having a third wavelength. The second optical component is configured to allow the visible laser light to be transmitted out along the first direction.

A laser system is described, the laser system comprising: an optical cavity defined by at least first and second at least partially reflecting elements; and a gain system. The gain system comprising at least first and second gain media located within the optical cavity. The first and second gain media are configured to generate optical radiation of at least first and second wavelength ranges in response to pumping energy.

In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a pump laser configured to produce pulses of light at a pump wavelength. The lidar system further includes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with an OPO medium configured to: receive the pump pulses from the pump laser; convert at least part of the received pump pulses into pulses of light at a signal wavelength and pulses of light at an idler wavelength; and emit at least a portion of the signal pulses. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard and a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the scanned pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system also includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target.

Some embodiments relate to a generation device that includes: a pulsed laser source generating primary photons having at least one wavelength within pulses having time dissymmetry, a forming device(s) controlling the primary photons so as to generate a selective-polarization, focused input beam, and an optical fiber wherein the primary photons induce secondary photons having different wavelengths resulting from a raman conversion cascade and forming a wide-spectrum output beam having substantially constant energy.

A stabilized laser source includes a fiber-ring Brillouin laser that incorporates a circulator for non-reciprocal operation and for launching of a pump optical signal. Most of the pump optical signal is launched in a forward direction and drives Brillouin laser oscillation in the backward direction, a portion of which exits via an optical coupler as the optical output of the laser source. A small fraction of the pump optical signal is launched in the backward direction via the optical coupler, and a fraction of that backward-propagating pump optical signal exits via the optical coupler as an optical feedback signal. A frequency-locking mechanism receives the optical feedback signal and controls the pump optical frequency to maintain resonant propagation of the backward-propagating pump optical signal. A second pump optical signal can be launched in the forward direction to generate a second Brillouin laser oscillation.