Claims
- 1. A device that includes a superfluorescent source, comprising:
an optical pump producing polarized optical output; a solid state laser medium that receives the polarized optical output, said medium having birefringence axes that receive equal amounts of pump power to reduce polarization dependent gain effects within said medium, said medium producing optical output that has substantially the same mean wavelength for all polarizations; and a fiber optic gyroscope that receives the optical output from said medium.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the birefringence axes are oriented at about 45 degrees with respect to the polarization of the polarized optical output.
- 3. A method of generating superfluorescent optical output, comprising:
outputting a polarized optical signal from a pump source, the polarized optical signal having a polarization axis; inputting the polarized optical signal into a solid state laser medium that has birefringence axes; and orienting the birefringence axis of the solid state medium at about 45 degrees with respect to the polarization axis of the polarized optical output to reduce polarization dependent gain effects within said medium such that the solid state medium produces a superfluorescent optical output that has substantially the same mean wavelength for all polarizations.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/429,049 filed on Oct. 29, 1999, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/106,532 filed on Oct. 31, 1998, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/106,709 filed on Nov. 2, 1998, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/113,220 filed on Dec. 22, 1998, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/128,641 filed on Apr. 9, 1999, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Provisional Applications (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60106532 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
|
60106709 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
|
60113220 |
Dec 1998 |
US |
|
60128641 |
Apr 1999 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09429049 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Child |
10170783 |
Jun 2002 |
US |