Patent ID: 8718104
Filing Date: 2014-05-06
Classification: G01N,G02B,G02F,H01S

Abstract:
1. Optical pulse source for generating optical supercontinuum pulses, comprising: an optical pump laser operable to generate optical pump pulses at a pump pulse repetition rate Rf; a nonlinear optical element comprising an optical fiber arranged to receive the optical pump pulses and configured to generate therefrom optical supercontinuum pulses; an optical modulator provided between the pump laser and the optical fiber and operable to selectively control the launch of pump pulses into the optical fiber at a reduced, lower repetition rate Rr=Rf/N, wherein N is a positive integer, in order to generate optical supercontinuum pulses at a selectable repetition rate lower than the pump pulse repetition rate; an optical fiber amplifier located between the optical modulator and the optical pump laser; wherein the optical pulse source is configured such that the optical supercontinuum pulses generated by the optical fiber have a supercontinuum spanning from below 450 nm to greater than 2000 nm; wherein the optical pulse source is provided with a microprocessor configured to determine when supercontinuum pulses are delivered; and wherein the optical pulse source is configured to provide an output trigger signal.