US Patent 7817681 Pulse stretching optical fiber and related systems and methods

An optical fiber for performing pulse stretching, and fiber laser systems and methods using the pulse-stretching fiber are disclosed. The pulse-stretching (PS) fiber has low fourth-order dispersion (dispersion curvature) and a third order dispersion (dispersion slope) with a small negative, nearly zero or small positive value. Two different types of fiber laser systems that use the PS fiber in a manner that achieves optimum performance are described. The PS fiber enables an all-fiber (up to the final pulse compressor) ultra-short pulsed laser systems reaching pulse energies exceeding 100 μJ, average powers exceeding 100 W, and output pulse widths of less than 100 fs.