METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING TUNABLE LIGHT SOURCE

• US 20160049769A1
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: CHOI, Byung Seok
• Application Number:
  US14/548,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20160049769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/10053 Phase control
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/106 by controlling devices placed within the cavity H01S3/10076, H01S3/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0612 controlled by temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0617 using memorised or pre-programmed laser characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/141 using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon H01S5/146 takes precedence

Abstract

Provided herein is a method and apparatus for implementing a tunable light source, the method including performing a first calibration of obtaining a tuning curve representing changes of a wavelength as a function of a heater power up to a wavelength range where the external cavity type tunable light source is tunable; performing a second calibration of obtaining a detuning curve of the tunable wavelength range; and setting a wavelength by performing a wavelength locking.

Claims

1. A wavelength controlling method of an external cavity type tunable light source, the method comprising:

performing a first calibration of obtaining a tuning curve representing changes of a wavelength as a function of a heater power up to a wavelength range where the external cavity type tunable light source is tunable;

performing a second calibration of obtaining a detuning curve of the tunable wavelength range; and

setting a wavelength by performing a wavelength locking.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second calibration is performed based on phase control power information and heater power information regarding a position where a mode hopping occurs that were obtained based on the detuning curve.

3. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the second calibration is performed based on a result of a power monitoring, and

the power monitoring is performed by monitoring an output power through a high reflection coated surface of a gain medium.

4. The method according to claim 3,

wherein the power monitoring is performed by further monitoring the output power through the external cavity.

5. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the second calibration is performed based on information on an external temperature where the external cavity type tunable light source operates.

6. An external cavity type tunable light source apparatus comprising:

a first calibrator configured to perform a first calibration of obtaining a tuning curve representing changes of a wavelength as a function of a heater power up to a wavelength range where the external cavity type tunable light source is tunable;

a second calibrator configured to perform a second calibration of obtaining a detuning curve of the tunable wavelength range;

a wavelength locker configured to set a wavelength by performing a wavelength locking; and

a controller configured to control the first calibrator and the second calibrator to perform the first calibration and second calibration, respectively, of the external cavity type tunable light source apparatus, and to control the wavelength locker to set the wavelength.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the second calibrator performs the second calibration based on phase control power information and heater power information regarding a position where a mode hopping occurs that were obtained based on the detuning curve.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the second calibrator performs the second calibration based on a result of a power monitoring, and

the power monitoring is performed by monitoring an output power through a high reflection coated surface of a gain medium.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the power monitoring is performed by further monitoring the output power through the external cavity.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the second calibrator performs the second calibration based on information on an external temperature where the external cavity type tunable light source apparatus operates.