Patent ID: 8462828

Claim:
A system for generating coherent single-frequency and single transverse mode light pulses, said system comprising: a laser capable of producing a linearly-polarized continuous wave laser beam as defined by a single longitudinal mode and a single transverse mode; a first polarization rotator positioned to receive and process the laser beam with said first polarization rotator operable during a first time period to rotate optical polarization of the laser beam, and with said first polarization rotator operable during a second and third time period to not rotate optical polarization of the laser beam; a second polarization rotator positioned to receive and process the laser beam from said first polarization rotator with said second polarization rotator operable during the first time period to rotate optical polarization of the laser beam, and with said second polarization rotator operable during the second period to not rotate optical polarization of the laser beam, and further with said second polarization rotator operable during the third period to rotate optical polarization of the laser beam; and an optical amplification loop positioned to receive the laser beam emitted from said first polarization rotator and said second polarization rotator, said optical amplification loop capable of amplifying the laser beam received during the first and second time periods; wherein said optical amplification loop includes an optical fiber loop amplifier positioned within said amplification loop; wherein each of said first and second polarization rotators includes an electrically-controllable element selected from the group consisting of a Pockels cell and a Kerr cell.