Seed Lasers
Author: the photonics expert Dr. Rüdiger Paschotta (RP)
Definition: lasers which are used for generating some seed light into an amplifier or another laser
More general term: lasers
Opposite term: slave lasers
Categories:
DOI: 10.61835/fr7 Cite the article: BibTex plain textHTML Link to this page LinkedIn
A seed laser is a laser the output which is injected into some optical amplifier or another laser. This is done in, e.g., the following situations:
- A seed laser combined with an amplifier forms a master oscillator power amplifier configuration, used for generating an output with high power. Compared with an approach with a single high-power laser, it is easier to obtain certain features with a low-power seed laser, e.g. single-frequency operation with narrow linewidth, a wide wavelength tuning range or the generation of ultrashort pulses.
- Instead of injection into an amplifier, a single-frequency seed beam can be sent into another laser (slave laser) or into an optical parametric oscillator to achieve narrowband emission via injection seeding. It is sometimes possible even to achieve injection locking, where the emitted frequency exactly equals the seed frequency, and the laser noise may be close to that of the seed laser.
Typical types of seed lasers are small laser diodes (single-frequency or gain-switched), short-cavity fiber lasers, and miniature solid-state lasers such as nonplanar ring oscillators (NPROs).
More to Learn
Encyclopedia articles:
- optical amplifiers
- master oscillator power amplifier
- slave laser
- single-frequency operation
- single-frequency lasers
Suppliers
The RP Photonics Buyer's Guide contains 25 suppliers for seed lasers. Among them:
AeroDIODE

SHIPS TODAY: Fiber-coupled seed laser diodes (emitting at 1030 nm, 1064 nm, 1550 nm ) are offered as stock items or associated with a CW laser diode driver or pulsed laser diode driver. They are compatible with our high speed nanosecond pulsed drivers or low noise laser diode driver for ultra-narrow linewidth single frequency emission of DFB laser diode modules. The single-mode laser diode can reach high powers up to 500 mW in the nanosecond pulse regime. Most turn-key diode & driver solutions are optimized for single-shot to CW performances with pulse width lengths down to 1 ns. The laser diode precision pulses are generated internally by an on-board pulse generator, or on demand from an external TTL signal.
See also our tutorial on fiber-coupled laser diodes.
HÜBNER Photonics

The VALO Series of ultrafast fiber lasers are unique in their design offering among the shortest femtosecond pulses and highest peak powers which can be obtained from a compact turn-key solution. They can be used as seed lasers for various amplifier systems. Pulse durations of <50 fs are achieved using novel fiber laser based technology. The ultrashort pulse durations combined with computer controlled group velocity dispersion pre-compensation, allow users of the VALO lasers to achieve the highest peak power exactly where its needed, which makes the lasers ideal for use in multiphoton imaging, advanced spectroscopy and many other applications.
- <50 fs pulse duration
- up to 2 W output power
- very low noise
- integrated pre-compensation dispersion module
ALPHALAS
Single-frequency microchip, NPRO and DFB diode CW lasers are available for seeding bulk amplifier chains or fiber amplifiers for generating high power laser radiation at 1030, 1047, 1053, 1064 and 1342 nm wavelengths. Another application is seeding of high-power single-frequency pulsed Q-switched lasers for holographic and interferometric applications.
Picosecond pulse diode lasers from ALPHALAS can be applied for seeding of fiber and regenerative amplifiers.
RPMC Lasers

Serving North America, RPMC Lasers offers one of the widest selections of single-frequency lasers for injection seeding as well as pulsed DPSS ultrafast lasers and microchip lasers. These offerings are available with either open beam or fiber-coupling and can be paired with laser diode drivers to provide transform-limited picosecond seed sources for Q-switched fiber lasers. Standard and custom options available. Let RPMC help you find the right laser today!
Thorlabs

Thorlabs manufactures an extensive selection of ultrafast lasers and related products for control and characterization. Applications from nonlinear excitation and amplifier seeding to THz and supercontinuum generation are served by a family of products covering a spectral range from 700 – 4500 nm. Our femtosecond laser offerings include fiber lasers, and our picosecond lasers include gain-switched and microchip lasers. Complimenting these laser systems is a suite of ultrafast optics, including nonlinear crystals, chirped mirrors, low-GDD optics, and related products for pulse measurement, pre-compensation, and dispersion measurement.
MPB Communications

Single frequency fiber lasers exhibit reduced frequency noise, excellent stability and long coherence length due to their short cavity design.
MPBC has a line of short cavity single frequency lasers available at wavelengths ranging from 910 nm to 1300 nm. With an all-fiber optical cavity architecture and a mechanical package that is thermally and acoustically isolated, these lasers are known for their quality and robustness. Active stabilisation implementing Pound–Drever–Hall (PDH) locking is used to stabilise frequency. Wavelength tunability is achieved by temperature and piezo.
These seed lasers can be used in conjunction with MPBC's single frequency amplifiers to increase the output power while maintaining the critical seed parameters, such as narrow linewidth, reduced frequency noise and long coherence lengths.
TOPTICA Photonics

TOPTICA’s ultrafast fiber lasers family “FemtoFiber smart” is available as picosecond or femtosecond version. The lasers are based either on ytterbium-doped or erbium-doped fiber laser architecture. These systems are dedicated to applications ranging from seed laser purposes, biophotonics to terahertz generation and two-photon polymerization.
Menlo Systems

Menlo Systems' femtosecond fiber lasers based on Menlo figure 9® patented laser technology are unique in regard to user-friendliness and robustness. We offer solutions for scientific research as well as laser models engineered for OEM integration.
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