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Higher order mode optical fiber laser or amplifier

Higher order mode optical fiber laser or amplifier description/claims

The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/746,032, filed May 8, 2007 and entitled “Ring Core Fiber. application Ser. No. 11/746,032 is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/675,350, filed Sep. 30, 2003 and entitled “Ring Core Fiber”, which issued as Pat. No. 7,215,818 on May 8, 2007. application Ser. No. 10/675,350 is a continuation-in part of International Application No. PCT/US02/09513, which has an international filing date of Mar. 27, 2002, and is entitled “Ring Core Fiber”, and which in turn claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/280,033, which was filed Mar. 30, 2001 and is also entitled “Ring Core Fiber”. The foregoing applications are incorporated herein by reference.

The invention relates to optical waveguides, such as, for example, optical fibers, and to amplifiers and lasers that include optical waveguides, such as for example, fiber lasers and fiber amplifiers, and to systems including such amplifiers and lasers.

Fibers, such as fiber lasers and fiber amplifiers, can be used to enhance absorption of pump energy. One type of fiber, commonly referred to as a double clad fiber, includes a core, a first cladding around the core and a second cladding around the first cladding. The core can comprise a rare earth material. The first cladding can be capable of receiving pump energy for absorption by the rare earth material. The second cladding can tend to prevent the pump energy from escaping the first cladding.

The invention typically relates to optical fibers, fiber lasers and fiber amplifiers, and to systems including such fibers and fiber devices. In one aspect, the invention features a fiber (e.g., a multimode fiber) that includes a first region, a core and a cladding. The core surrounds the first region, and the cladding surrounds the core. Typically, the core includes an active material, such as, for example, a selected rare earth material.

In a further aspect, the invention features a system that includes two fibers. One of the fibers has a first region, a first core (e.g., a multimode core) surrounding the first region, and a cladding surrounding the core. The other fiber has a core (e.g., a single mode core). The fibers are in optical communication (connected) such that energy can propagate from the core of one fiber to the core of the other fiber. Typically, at least one of the cores includes an active material.

Embodiments of the invention can include one or more of the following features.

The core can be ring-shaped.

The core can be a multimode core.

The core can include a rare earth-doped material.

The core can include a silica material and ions of a rare earth metal.

The first region can include a silica material.

The first region can have a lower index of refraction than the core.

The first cladding can include a silica material.

The first cladding can have a lower index of refraction than the core.

The fiber can further include a second cladding surrounding the first cladding.

The second cladding can be formed of a polymer material.

The index of refraction of the first cladding can be greater than the index of refraction of the second cladding.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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