Patent ID: 6072811
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A modelocked fiber laser, comprising:a pump laser for generating laser energy at a pump wavelength;a highly-birefringent fiber gain medium having first and second polarization axes and having first and second ends which respectively define first and second ends of a laser cavity for amplifying the laser energy at a signal wavelength;a reflector coupled to the first end of said laser cavity, for reflecting the laser energy through said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium;a saturable absorber coupled to the second end of said laser cavity, for inducing modelocking of said fiber laser along either of said first and second polarization axes of said highly-birefringent fiber gain medium in the absence of any non-fiber, intra-cavity, polarization-manipulating elements; andan output for outputting the laser energy amplified within said laser cavity.