We report a new approach to obtain single-transverse-mode operation of a multimode fiber amplifier, in which the gain fiber is coiled to induce significant bend loss for all but the lowestorder mode. We have demonstrated this method by constructing a coiled amplifier using Ybdoped, double-clad fiber with a core diameter of 25 ym and NA of -0

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We describe and present experimental results for a novel and elegant optical-control technique for implementing a true time-delay function for array antennas. A microwave signal is transmitted on a wavelength-tunable optical carrier through a fiber-optic prism-a set of nominally equal-delay fibers with differing net dispersion-to photodetectors that feed each antenna element. The relative interelement time-delay (beam angle) adjustment is accomplished by tuning the optical carrier wavelength. Measured antenna patterns of a two-element array clearly demonstrate beam steering and true time-delay operation over a two-octave bandwidth of 2-8 GHz.

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Room-temperature operation of a solid-state laser has been achieved for the first time in the blue region using Pr : YLF. The 0.2% Pr : YLF crystal was longitudinally pumped at 444 nm using a pulsed dye laser. Laser emission was observed at 479 nm and required a pump-energy density of 8 J/cm2 at threshold.

A method for optical triggering of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser by direct bleaching of a Cr:YAG saturable absorber is described. This method involves the bleaching of a thin sheet of the saturable absorber from a direction orthogonal to the lasing axis using a single laser diode bar, where the Cr:YAG transmission increased from a non-bleached value of 47% to a bleached value of 63%. For steady state operation of a passively Q-switched laser (PRF=10 Hz), the pulse-to-pulse timing jitter showed approximately 12X reduction in standard deviation, from 241 nsec for free running operation to 20 nsec with optical triggering.