External cavity laser having a set atmosphere

• US 20030223471A1
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Baney, Douglas M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,061,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/92
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0222 Gas-filled housings
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0683 by monitoring the optical output parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/141 using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon H01S5/146 takes precedence

Abstract

An external cavity laser having a set atmosphere is disclosed. In an embodiment, the laser system includes a gain medium to emit light in response to an applied current, a wavelength selective reflector configured to resonate the light that is emitted from the gain medium, and a chamber containing a set atmosphere, the chamber being optically connected to the gain medium and the wavelength selective reflector such that the light that is emitted from the gain medium passes through the chamber.

Claims

1. A laser system comprising:

a gain medium that emits light in response to an applied current;

a wavelength selective reflector configured to resonate said light that is emitted from said gain medium; and

a chamber containing a set atmosphere, said chamber being optically coupled to said gain medium and said wavelength selective reflector such that said light that is emitted from said gain medium passes through said chamber.

2. The laser system of claim 1 wherein said chamber encapsulates said gain medium and said wavelength selective reflector.

3. The laser system of claim 2 wherein said set atmosphere is an inert atmosphere.

4. The laser system of claim 1 wherein said chamber is located in an optical path of said resonated light.

5. The laser system of claim 4 wherein said set atmosphere is a wavelength selective atmosphere.

6. The laser system of claim 5 wherein said set atmosphere is selected from the group consisting of acetylene and hydrogen cyanide.

7. The laser system of claim 4 further comprising a second chamber to encapsulate said gain medium, said wavelength selective reflector and said chamber.

8. The laser system of claim 7 wherein said second chamber encloses a second set atmosphere.

9. The laser system of claim 1 wherein said chamber is gas-tight.

10. The laser system of claim 1 wherein said set atmosphere comprises an inert atmosphere.

11. The laser system of claim 1 wherein said set atmosphere is a wavelength selective atmosphere.

12. The laser system of claim 1 wherein said wavelength selective reflector comprises a diffraction grating.

13. The laser system of claim 1 further comprising a partially reflective mirror to reflect a portion of said resonated light into said chamber.

14. The laser system of claim 13 further comprising a monitor to monitor spectral features of said resonated light in said chamber.

15. A method of operating an external cavity laser comprising:

emitting light;

resonating said light; and

passing said light through a set atmosphere.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing an atmosphere void of spectral features across a wavelength range of interest as said set atmosphere.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing an atmosphere with known spectral features across a wavelength range of interest as said set atmosphere.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

monitoring spectral features of said resonated light;

comparing the spectral features of said resonated light against the known spectral features of the set atmosphere; and

calibrating an output wavelength of said laser based upon results of said comparing.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said known spectral features comprise absorption characteristics.

20. A laser system comprising:

a gain medium for emitting light;

a plurality of optical reflectors for resonating said light that is emitted from said gain medium; and

an enclosing means for enclosing a set atmosphere through which said resonated light is to pass.

21. The laser system of claim 20 wherein said enclosing means encapsulates said plurality of optical reflectors and said gain medium.

22. The laser system of claim 21 wherein said set atmosphere is void of spectral features across a wavelength range of interest.

23. The laser system of claim 20 wherein said enclosing means is located in an optical path of said resonated light.

24. The laser system of claim 20 wherein said set atmosphere has known spectral features across a wavelength range of interest.