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Abstract

An erbium/ytterbium fiber amplifier amplifying an optical signal at approximately 1550 nm is pumped by an optical signal at approximately 1060 nm generated by a grating-stabilized ytterbium fiber laser. The fiber laser energy is output along a first optical path, which is coupled to the fiber amplifier coil via a WDM coupler. An optical attenuator is located in the optical path between the fiber laser and the fiber amplifier coil, and attenuates optical energy in the wavelength range of 1090 nm, to prevent optical coupling in that range between the fiber laser and the fiber amplifier from destabilizing the fiber laser. In one embodiment, the optical attenuator is a narrowband WDM coupler which couples wavelengths in the selected range out of the optical path. In another embodiment, the optical attenuator is a long-period optical fiber Bragg grating which attenuates the selected wavelengths. In still another embodiment, the optical attenuator is an optical fiber coil, which has a precise radius of curvature that results in fiber bending losses for signals having wavelengths longer than 1080 nm.

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First Claim