Optical path length variation using a liquid crystal for tuning a laser
First Claim
1. A method of tuning a laser, comprising the steps of:
- providing a laser beam to an external cavity, the laser beam traveling through a material along a path between a cavity end element and a tuning element, the path having an optical path length, and the material comprising a liquid crystal being sensitive in a characteristic property, selecting a least one mode of the laser by introducing a dispersion element in the path of the laser, and changing the optical path length of the path by changing the characteristic property of the liquid crystal in a way which influences the optical path length of the path to stabilize a mode of the laser.
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Abstract
An apparatus for tuning a laser comprises an external cavity (2) for receiving a laser beam (4), the laser beam (4) traveling through material along a path (4) between a cavity end element (6) and a tuning element (8), the path (4) having an optical path length. A dispersion element (10) is introduced in the path (4) of the laser for selecting at least one mode of the laser, and a changing element is provided for changing the optical path length of the path (4). The changing element comprises a liquid crystal (32, 42) in at least a part of the path (4), the liquid crystal (32, 42) being sensitive in a characteristic property. The changing element is adapted for changing the characteristic property of the liquid crystal (32, 42) in a way which influences the optical path length of the path (4) to stabilize a mode of the laser.
36 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of tuning a laser, comprising the steps of:
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providing a laser beam to an external cavity, the laser beam traveling through a material along a path between a cavity end element and a tuning element, the path having an optical path length, and the material comprising a liquid crystal being sensitive in a characteristic property, selecting a least one mode of the laser by introducing a dispersion element in the path of the laser, and changing the optical path length of the path by changing the characteristic property of the liquid crystal in a way which influences the optical path length of the path to stabilize a mode of the laser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for tuning a laser, comprising:
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an external cavity for receiving a laser beam, the laser beam traveling through material along a path between a cavity end element and a tuning element, the path having an optical path length, a dispersion element introduced in the path of the laser for selecting at least one mode of the laser, and a changing element for changing the optical path length of the path, the changing element comprising a liquid crystal in at least a part of the path, the liquid crystal being sensitive in a characteristic property, the changing element being adapted for changing the characteristic property of the liquid crystal in a way which influences the optical path length of the path to stabilize a mode of the laser. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A laser source, comprising:
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an active medium adapted for providing a laser beam, an external cavity adapted for providing resonance to the laser beam, the beam 4 traveling in the cavity along a path between a cavity end element and a tuning element, the cavity end element and the tuning element both providing the cavity mirrors, a dispersion element introduced in the path of the beam for selecting at least one mode of the laser, and a liquid crystal introduced in the path of the beam, wherein the tuning element can be rotated about a pivot axis for tuning the laser, and the pivot axis is theoretically defined by the intersection of the surface plane of the cavity end element, the surface plane of the dispersion element and the surface plane of the tuning element, and the liquid crystal is adapted to change the optical length of the path to at least partly compensate a shift between the real and the theoretically defined position of the pivot axis
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Specification