Patent ID: 7477666

Claim:
A fiber-based short-pulse laser, comprising: an input coupler configured to couple pump light into a fiber laser cavity; a fiber-based gain medium having a positive dispersion and configured to amplify and compress a signal laser pulse in response to the pump light, wherein the signal laser pulse has a peak portion having a peak polarization and a wing portion having a wing polarization different from the peak polarization; a dispersion-compensation device having a negative dispersion to compensate the positive dispersion of the laser medium, wherein the fiber-based gain medium and the dispersion-compensation device have a net negative dispersion; and a polarization isolator configured to block the wing portion of the signal laser pulse and uni-directionally pass the peak portion of the signal laser pulse, wherein the input coupler, the fiber-based gain medium, the dispersion-compensation device, and the polarization isolator in part define the fiber laser cavity, wherein the fiber laser cavity outputs an output laser pulse formed by the peak portion of the signal laser pulse.