Patent ID: 8265106

Claim:
A pulsed optical source comprising: a laser operable to generate a continuous wave optical beam; an optical circulator including a first port coupled to the continuous wave optical beam, a second port, and a third port; an amplitude modulator having a first input/output port and a second input/output port, wherein the first input/output port is coupled to the second port of the optical circulator; and a double-pass optical fiber amplifier having an input/output port and a reflective portion, wherein; the double-pass optical fiber amplifier comprises a first rare-earth doped optical fiber; and the input/output port is coupled to the second input/output port of the amplitude modulator; a first pump coupled to the double-pass optical fiber amplifier; a single-pass optical fiber amplifier coupled to the third port of the optical circulator, wherein the single-pass optical fiber amplifier comprises a second rare-earth doped optical fiber; and a second pump coupled to the single-pass optical fiber amplifier.