Monolithic visible wavelength fiber laser

Abstract

Fiber laser having a monolithic laser resonator having laser affected zones for providing laser beams having wavelengths below 800 nm and from between 400 nm to 800 nm. Methods of using femtosecond lasers to form fiber Bragg gratings, volume Bragg gratings, space gratings, and laser beam delivery patterns for changing the index of refraction within optical fibers.

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         7 . A fiber Bragg grating that provides feedback at a specific wavelength within the Raman gain spectrum. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber Bragg grating of  claim 7 , wherein the fiber Bragg grating is a fiber-coupled volume Bragg grating. 
     
     
         9 . A laser resonator for generating a laser beam in the wavelength region of about 400 to about 700 nm, the laser resonator comprising:
 a. an optical fiber comprising a core and a cladding and having an all fiber feed-back mechanism, the feed-back mechanism comprising a first reflective member and a second reflective member; the first reflective member and the second reflective member located along a length of the optical fiber and defining a distance there between; and,   b. wherein, the second reflective member is a fiber Bragg grating, wherein the fiber Bragg grating is capable of providing feedback over an entire order of a Raman gain spectrum.   
     
     
         10 . The fiber Bragg grating of  claim 9 , wherein the fiber Bragg grating is a fiber-coupled volume Bragg grating. 
     
     
         11 . A laser resonator for generating a laser beam in the wavelength region of about 400 to about 700 nm, the laser resonator comprising:
 a. an optical fiber comprising a core and a cladding and having an all fiber feed-back mechanism, the feed-back mechanism comprising a first reflective member and a second reflective member; the first reflective member and the second reflective member located along a length of the optical fiber and defining a distance there between; and,   b. wherein, the second reflective member is a fiber Bragg grating, wherein the fiber Bragg grating is capable of providing loss to a second Raman order.   
     
     
         12 . The fiber Bragg grating of  claim 11 , wherein the fiber Bragg grating is a fiber-coupled volume Bragg grating. 
     
     
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         19 . The fiber Bragg grating of  claim 7 , wherein the fiber Bragg grating is capable of providing loss over n Raman orders where n can vary from 2 to >10. 
     
     
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         26 . The laser resonator of  claims 7 , wherein the fiber Bragg grating is a fiber-coupled volume Bragg grating. 
     
     
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         28 . The laser resonator of  claim 27 , wherein the fiber optic endcap comprises glass. 
     
     
         29 . A laser resonator for generating a laser beam in the wavelength region of about 400 to about 700 nm, the laser resonator comprising:
 a. an optical fiber comprising a core and end cap, and a cladding and having an all fiber feed-back mechanism, the feed-back mechanism comprising a first reflective member located in the fiber, and a second reflective member located in the end cap; the first reflective member and the second reflective member located along a length of the optical fiber and defining a distance there between; and,   b. wherein, the second reflective member is a Bragg grating, wherein the Bragg grating is capable of providing feedback to a Raman order.   
     
     
         30 . The laser resonator of  claim 29 , wherein the Bragg grating is capable of providing feed back to the first Raman order; 
     
     
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         33 . The laser resonator of  claim 29 , wherein the Bragg grating is written into the fiber optic endcap at a normal incidence to an optical wave direction, wherein the Bragg grating is curved to match the NA of the optical fiber, whereby the Bragg grating provides feedback within the core of the optical fiber. 
     
     
         34 . The laser resonator of  claim 29 , wherein the Bragg grating provides feedback at a specific wavelength within a Raman gain spectrum. 
     
     
         35 . The laser resonator of  claim 29 , wherein the Bragg grating provides feedback over an entire Raman gain spectrum. 
     
     
         36 . A volume Bragg grating written into a fiber optic endcap connected to an optical fiber; wherein the Bragg grating provides loss to a Raman order. 
     
     
         37 . The volume Bragg grating of  claim 36 , wherein the volume Bragg grating is inscribed at an angle with respect to the normal of an optical wave direction in the optical fiber to redirect a propagating mode out of a core of the fiber. 
     
     
         38 . The Bragg grating of  claim 29 , wherein the fiber optic endcap comprises glass. 
     
     
         39 . The Bragg grating of  claim 29 , wherein the fiber optic endcap comprises a glass that is not doped with photosensitive dopants, thereby being free from photosensitive dopants, and is capable of generating laser beams at wavelengths below about 500 nm. 
     
     
         40 . The volume Bragg grating of  claim 36 , wherein the volume Bragg grating provides a loss to the second Raman order. 
     
     
         41 . The Bragg grating of  claim 29 , wherein the Bragg grating provides loss over n Raman orders where n can vary from 2 to >10. 
     
     
         42 . The volume Bragg grating of  claim 36 , wherein the volume Bragg grating is created using femtosecond pulses; and wherein the volume Bragg grating is capable of operating in the wavelength region of 400-700 nm. 
     
     
         43 . A laser resonator for generating a laser beam in the wavelength region of about 400 to about 700 nm, the laser resonator comprising:
 a. an optical fiber comprising a core and a cladding and having an all fiber feed-back mechanism, the feed-back mechanism comprising a first reflective member located in the fiber, and a second reflective member located in the optical fiber; the first reflective member and the second reflective member located along a length of the optical fiber and defining a distance there between; and,   b. wherein, the second reflective member is a nanostructured moth eye grating.   
     
     
         44 . The laser resonator of  claim 43 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is capable of providing feedback to a Raman order. 
     
     
         45 . The laser resonator of  claim 44 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is capable of providing feedback to a first Raman order; 
     
     
         46 . The laser resonator of  claim 44 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is incapable of providing feedback to a second Raman order. 
     
     
         47 . The laser resonator of  claim 45 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is incapable of providing feedback to a second Raman order. 
     
     
         48 . The laser resonator of  claim 43 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is created in glass on the end of the optical fiber. 
     
     
         49 . The laser resonator of  claim 48 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is positioned at normal incidence to an optical wave direction in the fiber, and thereby is capable of providing feedback within the core of the optical fiber. 
     
     
         50 . The laser resonator of  claim 43 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is capable of providing feedback at a specific wavelength within a Raman gain spectrum. 
     
     
         51 . The laser resonator of  claim 43 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is capable of providing feedback over the entire Raman gain spectrum. 
     
     
         52 . The laser resonator of  claim 43 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is capable of providing loss to the second Raman order. 
     
     
         53 . The laser resonator of  claim 43 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is positioned at an angle with respect to a normal of an optical wave direction in the optical fiber, and thereby capable of redirecting the propagating mode out of the core of the fiber. 
     
     
         54 . The laser resonator of  claim 48 , wherein the glass is not doped with photosensitive dopants; thereby the glass if free from photosensitive dopants. 
     
     
         55 . The laser resonator of  claim 48 , wherein the wavelengths is from 400 nm to 500 nm. 
     
     
         56 . The laser resonator of  claim 43 , wherein the nanostructured moth eye grating is capable of providing loss over n Raman orders where n can vary from 2 to >10. 
     
     
         57 . A fiber laser for providing a laser beam having a wavelength less than 800 nm, the laser comprising:
 a. a laser resonator comprising first an optical fiber, a pump laser input end, and a laser beam output end;   b. the optical fiber having a core and a cladding; and,   c. the laser beam output end having a laser affected zone having an index of refraction different from an index of refraction of the core, the laser affected zone defining a Bragg grating, for transmitting a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength, and reflecting a predetermined range of wavelengths, wherein the predetermined range does not include the wavelength of the transmitted laser beam.   
     
     
         58 . The fiber laser of  claim 57 , wherein the laser resonator is a monolithic fiber laser resonator. 
     
     
         59 . The fiber laser of  claim 57 , wherein the laser beam output end is a volume Bragg grating. 
     
     
         60 . The fiber laser of  claim 57 , wherein the output end is a fiber Bragg grating. 
     
     
         61 . The fiber laser of  claim 50 , wherein the transmitted laser beam wavelength is from about 400 nm to about 600 nm. 
     
     
         62 . The fiber laser of  claim 50 , wherein the transmitted laser beam wavelength is from about 400 nm to about 500 nm. 
     
     
         63 . The fiber laser of  claim 59 , wherein the transmitted laser beam wavelength is from about 425 nm to about 475 nm. 
     
     
         64 . The fiber laser of  claim 60 , wherein the transmitted laser beam wavelength is 457 nm. 
     
     
         65 . The fiber laser of  claim 50 , wherein the transmitted laser beam wavelength is 466 nm. 
     
     
         66 - 74  (canceled) 
     
     
         75 . A laser resonator for generating a laser beam in the wavelength region of about 400 to about 700 nm, the laser resonator comprising:
 a. an optical fiber comprising a core and end cap, and a cladding and having an integrated feed-back mechanism, the feed-back mechanism comprising a first reflective member located in the fiber, and a second reflective member located at the surface of the end cap; the first reflective member located along a length of the optical fiber and defining a distance there between; and,   b. wherein, the second reflective member is a dielectric coating, wherein the dielectric coating is capable of providing feedback to the first Raman order,   c. wherein the second reflective member is a dielectric coting, wherein the dielectric coating does not provide feedback to the n=2 Raman order.   
     
     
         76 . A laser resonator for generating a laser beam in the wavelength region of about 400 to about 700 nm, the laser resonator comprising:
 a. an optical fiber comprising a core and end cap, and a cladding and having an integrated feed-back mechanism, the feed-back mechanism comprising a first reflective member located at the face of the endcap, and a second reflective member located in the fiber; the second reflective member located along a length of the optical fiber and defining a distance there between; and,   b. wherein, the second reflective member is a Bragg grating, wherein the Bragg grating is capable of providing feedback to the first Raman order.   
     
     
         77 . A laser resonator for generating a laser beam in the wavelength region of about 400 to about 700 nm, the laser resonator comprising:
 a. an optical fiber comprising a core and end caps, and a cladding and having an integrated feed-back mechanism, the feed-back mechanism comprising a first reflective member located at the face of one end cap, and a second reflective member located on the face of the other end cap; the first reflective member and the second reflective member located along a length of the optical fiber and defining a distance there between; and,   b. wherein, the second reflective member is narrow band dielectric coating, wherein the dielectric coating is capable of providing feedback to the first Raman order.   
     
     
         78 . The laser resonator of  claim 77 , wherein, the second reflective member is a narrow band dielectric coating, wherein the dielectric coating does not provide feedback to the second Raman order or any other Raman orders from n>1 to xx. 
     
     
         79 . The laser resonator of  claim 77 , wherein, the first reflective member is a narrowband dielectric coating that provides feedback to the first Raman order, and is a low reflective coating at the pump wavelength. 
     
     
         80 . The laser resonator of  claim 77 , wherein the first and second reflective members are dielectric coatings which provide feedback to the first Raman order, and are both low reflective coatings the pump wavelength. 
     
     
         81 . The laser resonator of  claim 77 , wherein the first and second reflective members are dielectric coatings which provide feedback to the first Raman order, the first dielectric coating is low reflectivity for the pump wavelength, and the second dielectric coating is a high reflectivity for the pump wavelength providing a second pass for the pump wavelength through the resonator to improve the conversion efficiency of the laser. 
     
     
         82 . The laser resonator of  claim 77 , wherein the first and second reflective members are dielectric coatings which provide feedback to n Raman orders where n>1 to xxx.