The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 17, 2000
Roy D. Mead, Lynnwood, WA (US);
Dennis D. Lowenthal, Edmonds, WA (US);
Jason N. Farmer, Kenmore, WA (US);
Aculight Corporation, Bothwell, WA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for achieving broad gain bandwidth in a Raman amplifier using a wavelength multiplexed pump source is provided. The pump source offers high power, broad bandwidth, and the ability to tailor the pump spectrum, thus providing a means to achieve gain flattening within a specific band of the Raman amplifier. The pump source is preferably comprised of one or more multi-gain element arrays multiplexed together within a single external resonator cavity. Interposed between the array and the resonator cavity output coupler are a collimating element and a diffraction grating. The collimating element can be a refractive optic, a ¼ pitch GRIN lens, or a reflective optic. The diffraction grating can either be transmissive or reflective. The combination of the diffraction grating and the collimating element forces each emitter within the array to lase at a distinct wavelength. In order to achieve an overall bandwidth greater than the gain bandwidth of a single emitter array, either multiple arrays of differing center wavelength are packaged together or a large array is used with a laterally varying quantum well thickness or epitaxy. An intracavity spatial filter can be used to improve the beam quality and reduce cross-talk between emitters.