Patent ID: 7440176
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A method of pumping an optical fiber laser system, comprising: providing an optical fiber laser system having a double clad optical fiber element with an elongate core comprising gain material, a first cladding disposed about the core and a second cladding disposed about the first cladding, and having two reflective elements optically coupled to the optical fiber element forming a laser cavity; wavelength locking a first pump energy band emitted from a first pump energy source with a volume Bragg grating; injecting wavelength locked pump energy of the first pump energy band into the first cladding of the optical fiber element in a first direction; wavelength locking a second pump energy band emitted from a second pump energy source with a volume Bragg grating with a wavelength band of the second pump energy band sufficiently separated from a wavelength band of the first pump energy band to prevent crosstalk between the first pump energy source and the second pump energy source and with the first pump enemy band and the second pump energy band disposed within a single absorption band of the gain material of the elongate core; and injecting wavelength locked pump energy of the second pump energy band into the first cladding of the optical fiber element in a second direction different from the first direction.