Method for actively controlling the optical output of a seed laser

摘要

Seed pulse generators for fiber amplifier systems include a seed pump controller coupled to a seed pump laser diode. A photodetector is situated to detect seed pulse generation, and is coupled to the seed pump controller so that seed pumping is decreased upon pulse detection. For a laser diode pump source, a pump current can be pulsed to produce a seed pulse and then decreased to a bias level such as a DC bias current that is less than a pump laser threshold current. Single seed pulses can be generated with reduced pulse jitter.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a seed laser that includes a seed laser pump and a seed laser gain medium; an optical amplifier situated to receive at least one seed pulse from the seed laser and produce an output pulse corresponding to an amplified seed pulse; a clock circuit that provides a periodic clock signal; and a seed laser controller coupled to the seed laser pump and the clock circuit, wherein the seed laser controller periodically establishes a pump laser sequence at a repetition rate greater than 1/Tgain where Tgain is a decay time associated with seed laser gain, the pump laser sequence comprising a pump bias followed by a pump pulse in response to the periodic clock signal and reduces pumping of the seed laser gain medium by terminating the pump pulse in response to detection of an output pulse associated with the seed laser pulse to reduce a maximum pulse duration of the pump pulse so as to inhibit production of a subsequent seed laser optical pulse associated with the pump pulse.