HYBRID TYPE PASSIVELY AND ACTIVELY MODE-LOCKED LASER SCHEME

A hybrid type passively and actively mode-locked laser scheme is disclosed, in which not only the capability of producing ultra-short optical pulses by the conventional passively mode-locked optical fiber laser scheme is utilized, but also the repetition rate variation capability and the optical pulse synchronization capability of the conventional actively mode-locked laser scheme are utilized. Consequently, all the advantages of the two conventional laser schemes are obtained in the present invention. Specifically, two loops are coupled together, and one of the two loops consists of a non-linear amplifying loop of the existing passively mode-locked scheme, while the other loop includes an optical modulator and an optical gain medium for the loop to perform the function of an actively mode-locked scheme. Further the other loop includes a time delay line so as to adjust the laser oscillation repetition rate. The ultra-short optical pulses of the present invention will be applied to high speed time division multiplexed optical communication system, high speed optical signal processors, and ultrafast optical phenomenon studies.