Nkt Photonics A/s

Thomas Feuchter

Carsten L Thomsen

Thomas Vestergaard Andersen

Irnis Kubat

Timur Iskhakov

Jeppe Johansen

Ole Bang

Casper Larsen

Frederik Donbaek Nielsen

Dmitri Oulianov

A depolarizing homogenizer including one or more lenslet arrays, for providing a plurality of beamlets associated with different respective parts of a received beam. The depolarizing homogenizer includes a depolarizer comprising different areas which affect polarization differently, the depolarizer being positioned to cause alteration of the polarization characteristics of at least some of the plurality of beamlets. A lens is arranged to at least partially overlap the beamlets having the altered polarization characteristics.

Depolarizing homogenizer

A supercontinuum light source can include a seed laser arranged to provide seed pulses with a pulse frequency F; a pulse frequency multiplier (PFM) arranged to multiply the seed pulses by converting pulses having the pulse frequency Fto pump pulses with a pulse frequency F, where Fis larger than F; and a non-linear element arranged to receive said pump pulses and convert said pump pulses to pulses of supercontinuum light. The PFM can further include a splitter for splitting pulses into first and second sub beams each having the same pulse frequency, where the PFM is configured such that the sub beams experience different delays; and a combiner for combining said first and second sub beams into a beam having the pulse frequency that is greater than said same pulse frequency. The splitter can have an uneven splitter ratio.

Supercontinuum light source

A light system having a light supply arrangement, a Homogenizing Light Pipe (HLP) and a fiber bundle is disclosed. The light supply arrangement includes a light source and is arranged to supply light to an input end of the HLP. The HLP is configured for scrambling the received light and for delivering a beam of light to a common packed input end of the fiber bundle.

Light system for supplying light

A light source assembly having N outputs, the assembly including: a light source arrangement arranged for supplying light to M inputs, where M an N independently of each other are integers and where M&#x2265;2 and M&#x2265;N; at least one optical couplers, each having at least one input arm and a plurality of output arms; and an integer number, P, of mode scramblers. The light source arrangement may include a broadband light source and a multimode coupler configured for receiving one or more light beams from the light source arrangement, wherein the one or more light beams being derived from the broadband light source and wherein a mode scrambler is arranged for mode scrambling one of said light beams before it enters the multimode coupler.

Light source assembly

A light source assembly having N outputs is disclosed. The assembly comprising: The light source arrangement may comprise a broadband light source and a multimode coupler configured for receiving one or more light beams from the light source arrangement, wherein the one or more light beams being derived from the broadband light source and wherein a mode scrambler is arranged for mode scrambling one of said light beams before it enters the multimode coupler.

A supercontinuum light source can include a seed laser arranged to provide seed pulses with a pulse frequency F; a pulse frequency multiplier (PFM) arranged to multiply the seed pulses by converting pulses having the pulse frequency Fto pump pulses with a pulse frequency F, where Fis larger than F; and a non-linear element arranged to receive said pump pulses and convert said pump pulses to pulses of supercontinuum light. The PFM can further include a splitter for splitting pulses into first and second sub beams each having the same pulse frequency, where the PFM is configured such that the sub beams experience different delays; and a combiner for combining said first and second sub beams into a beam having the pulse frequency that is greater than said same pulse frequency. The splitter can have an uneven splitter ratio. The disclosure includes other embodiments as well.

The invention relates to a microstructured optical fiber for generating supercontinuum light upon feeding of pump light. The light can be incoherent light. The microstructured optical fiber has a first section and a second section, where the first and second sections have one or more different features. The invention also relates to a supercontinuum source comprising a microstructured optical fiber according to the invention.

Supercontinuum light source comprising microstructured optical fiber

A supercontinuum light source can comprise a seed laser arranged to provide seed pulses with a pulse frequency F; a pulse frequency multiplier (PFM) arranged to multiply the seed pulses by converting pulses having the pulse frequency Fto pump pulses with a pulse frequency F, where Fis larger than F; and a non-linear element arranged to receive said pump pulses and convert said pump pulses to pulses of supercontinuum light. The PFM can further comprise a splitter for splitting pulses into first and second sub beams each having the same pulse frequency, where the PFM is configured such that the sub beams experience different delays; and a combiner for combining said first and second sub beams into a beam having the pulse frequency that is greater than said same pulse frequency. The splitter can have an uneven splitter ratio. The disclosure includes other embodiments as well.

The invention relates to a microstructured optical fiber for generating incoherent supercontinuum light upon feeding of pump light. The microstructured optical fiber has a first section and a second section. A cross-section through the second section perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the fiber has a second relative size of microstructure elements and preferably a second pitch that is smaller than a blue edge pitch for the second relative size of microstructure elements. The invention also relates to an incoherent supercontinuum source comprising a microstructured optical fiber according to the invention.

Microstructured optical fiber, supercontinuum light source comprising microstructured optical fiber and use of such light source

A supercontinuum light source comprising an intermediate supercontinuum light source and a single mode coupling unit, an optical measurement system comprising such light source, as well as a method of measuring are described. The supercontinuum light source comprises a pulse frequency multiplier to increase the repetition rate and the single mode coupling unit is arranged to dampen and shape the spectrum from the intermediate supercontinuum light source to allow measurements with a reduced noise floor.

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Holte, Denmark

Thomas Feuchter