In one embodiment, an optical amplifier includes a first pump laser diode and a second pump laser diode. The first pump laser diode is configured to produce pump light that includes a first amount of optical power at a first wavelength, and the second pump laser diode is configured to produce pump light that includes a second amount of optical power at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The optical amplifier also includes an optical gain fiber configured to receive the pump light from the first and second pump laser diodes and provide optical gain for an optical signal propagating through the optical gain fiber. The optical amplifier further includes a controller configured to adjust the first amount of optical power produced by the first pump laser diode and the second amount of optical power produced by the second pump laser diode.

In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard. The lidar system also includes 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.

A laser source (100) is intended for a device for interacting simultaneously with several atomic species within time intervals which are common to these species. The laser source includes a laser radiation generating set (1), an optical amplifier (2), and a frequency doubler set (3). A component for time-division multiplexing (5) assign in alternation at successive time sub-intervals, initial radiations corresponding to interaction radiations dedicated to different atomic species. The result of the interactions with one of the atomic species is then identical to the result of the interactions with a continuous radiation dedicated to the atomic species.

Apparatus for providing optical radiation (1), which apparatus comprises a laser diode (2), a pulse generator (9), and a modulator (5), wherein: the pulse generator (9) is configured to emit picosecond pulses; the modulator (5) is configured to emit nanosecond pulses; the laser diode (2) has a first terminal (6) and a second terminal (7); the pulse generator (9) is connected to the first terminal (6); and the modulator (5) is configured to bias the laser diode (2) below a lasing threshold (8) of the laser diode (2), and the apparatus being characterized in that: the modulator (5) is connected to the second terminal (7); the pulse generator (9) comprises a semiconductor junction (32) connected to a differentiator (4); the semiconductor junction (32) is such that electric current flowing through the semiconductor junction (32) can be turned off more quickly than it can be turned on; and the differentiator (4) is such that a step change that occurs when the electric current flowing through the semiconductor junction (32) is turned off is converted to an electrical pulse, thereby gain switching the laser diode (2) such that it emits an optical pulse (10) having an optical pulse width (11) less than 10 ns.

This disclosed subject matter allows short pulses with high peak powers to be obtained from seed pulses generated by a gain-switched diode. The gain-switched diode provides a highly stable source for optical systems such as nonlinear microscopy. The disclosed system preserves the ability to generate pulses at arbitrary repetition rates, or even pulses on demand, which can help reduce sample damage in microscopy experiments or control deliberate damage in material processing.

System for converting relatively long pulses from rep-rate variable ultrafast optical sources to shorter, high-energy pulses suitable for sources in high-energy ultrafast lasers. Fibers with positive group velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation are advantageously employed with the optical sources. These systems take advantage of the need for higher pulse energies at lower repetition rates so that such sources can be cost effective.

A lidar system with a pulsed laser diode to produce a plurality of optical seed pulses of light at one or more operating wavelengths between approximately 1400 nm and approximately 1600 nm. The lidar system may also include one or more optical amplifiers to amplify the optical seed pulses to produce a plurality of output optical pulses. Each optical amplifier may produce an amount of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), and the output optical pulses may have characteristics comprising: a pulse repetition frequency of less than or equal to 100 MHz; a pulse duration of less than or equal to 20 nanoseconds; and a duty cycle of less than or equal to 1%. The lidar system may also include one or more optical filters to attenuate the ASE and a receiver to detect at least a portion of the output optical pulses scattered by a target located a distance.

In one embodiment, a laser system includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a free-space seed-laser beam and a seed-laser lens configured to collimate the seed-laser beam. The laser system also includes a pump laser diode configured to produce a free-space pump-laser beam and a pump-laser lens configured to collimate the pump-laser beam. The laser system further includes an optical-beam combiner configured to combine the collimated seed-laser and pump-laser beams into a combined free-space beam and a focusing lens configured to focus the combined beam. The laser system also includes an optical gain fiber that includes an input end configured to receive the focused beam. The laser system also includes a mounting platform, where one or more of the seed laser, the seed-laser lens, the pump laser, the pump-laser lens, the combiner, the focusing lens, and the input end of the gain fiber are mechanically attached to the platform.

A lidar system with a pulsed laser diode to produce a plurality of optical seed pulses of light at one or more operating wavelengths between approximately 1400 nm and approximately 1600 nm. The lidar system may also include one or more optical amplifiers to amplify the optical seed pulses to produce a plurality of output optical pulses. Each optical amplifier may produce an amount of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), and the output optical pulses may have characteristics comprising: a pulse repetition frequency of less than or equal to 100 MHz; a pulse duration of less than or equal to 20 nanoseconds; and a duty cycle of less than or equal to 1%. The lidar system may also include one or more optical filters to attenuate the ASE and a receiver to detect at least a portion of the output optical pulses scattered by a target located a distance.

A lidar system with a light source to emit a pulse of light and a receiver to detect a return pulse of light. The receiver can include a first channel to receive a first portion of the return pulse and produce a first digital output signal, and a second channel to receive a second portion of the return pulse and produce a second digital output signal. The receiver can include a logic circuit to produce an output electrical-edge signal in response to receiving the digital output signals. The receiver can also include a time-to-digital converter to determine a time interval based on an emission time of the pulse of light and based on the electrical-edge signal. The lidar system can also include a processor to determine a distance to a target based at least in part on the time interval.