Patent ID: 8934509
Filing Date: 2015-01-13
Classification: B60Q,H01S

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: providing a first optical gain fiber having a first optical pump source; generating a seed signal having a Q-switched-pulsed-laser temporal shape using the first optical gain fiber by optically switching using an M-by-N-way optical switch, where M is an integer having a value of at least one, and N is an integer having a value of at least two; coupling pump light from the first optical pump source into the first optical gain fiber through the optical switch but not coupling laser feedback light through the optical switch when the optical switch is in a first connection state, wherein the generating of the seed signal includes coupling laser feedback light through the optical gain fiber and through the optical switch when the optical switch is in a second connection state; providing a second optical gain fiber having a second optical pump source; and amplifying the Q-switched pulsed-laser seed signal in the second optical gain fiber to obtain an output beam having an energy of at least one milliJoule (1 mJ).