Pump laser architecture and remotely pumped raman fiber amplifier laser guide star system for telescopes

摘要

There is provided a system for remote pumping of a Raman fiber amplifier comprising a pump laser located remotely from the Raman fiber amplifier and a laserhead and one or more optical fibers to optically couple the high power pump light from the remote pump laser to the Raman fiber amplifier where a seed laser light is amplified wherein the pump laser for producing a high power laser light of a predetermined pump wavelength comprises a first fiber laser emitting light at the predetermined pump wavelength and one (second) or two (third) laser emitting light at a wavelength lower than the predetermined pump wavelength and multiplexed with light from the first laser into an optical fiber providing Raman gain at the predetermined pump wavelength to convert the second (and optionally also the third) laser light to light at the predetermined pump wavelength.

主权项

1. A pump laser system for producing high power laser light of a predetermined pump wavelength comprising:
a first laser emitting light at the predetermined pump wavelength; a second laser emitting light at a wavelength shorter than the predetermined pump wavelength; an optical arrangement configured to multiplex light from the first laser and the second laser into an output; and a length of regular single-mode optical fiber coupled at a proximal end to said output of said optical arrangement and providing Raman gain at the predetermined pump wavelength to convert the second laser light to light at the predetermined pump wavelength, said length of optical fiber providing Raman gain being a flexible cable for extending to a remotely located optical amplifier, wherein optical powers of the multiplexed first and second laser lights are at respective power levels that result in more power at said predetermined pump wavelength being delivered to a distal end of said length of optical fiber than would be the case if the optical power coupled into said length of optical fiber was entirely at said predetermined pump wavelength.