Electronic tuning of a broadband laser

• US 5,230,005 A
• Filed: 11/05/1991
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Government Of The United States As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Rubino, Robert A., Glenn, William H., Ferrar, Carl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wise, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US07/788,015
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 372/20, 372/98, 372/102, 372/106
• US Class Current: 372/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1055 one of the reflectors being constituted by a diffraction grating
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/139 by controlling the mutual position or the reflecting properties of the reflectors of the cavity , e.g. by controlling the cavity length
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/213 including an organic dye

Abstract

A broadband laser which can be electronically tuned to a narrow line by insertion of a frequency selective element in the laser cavity.

Claims

1. A laser electronic tuning system in which:

a computer control unit sends a first input signal to a spatial light modulator which tunes on a pixel for a desired wavelength, a laser provides an input signal to a diffraction grating the output of which acts as a second input signal to said spatial light modulator, the output of said spatial light modulator acts as an input to a beam splitter which provides a precise laser output signal and a feedback signal to a wavemeter which measures the wavelength produced and supplies a correction signal to said computer control unit so as to adjust the pixel selected.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the wavemeter is a Fizeau wavemeter.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the diffraction grating is a grazing incidence grating.

4. The system of claim 3 in which the feedback signal is about 10% of the output signal of the Beam splitter.

5. The system of claim 4 in which the laser material is an organic dye.

6. The system of claim 5 which includes a telecentric lens between said diffraction grating and said spatial light monitor for focusing the diffraction pattern in the plane of the spatial light modulator.

7. A laser electronic tuning system comprising:

A. a laser which includes

1. an organic dye cell capable of providing a broadband frequency output,

2. a diffraction grating, and

3. a spatial light modulator backed by a totally reflecting mirror;

B. a beam splitter;

C. an interferometer; and

D. a control unit;

whereby an output signal from said laser is supplied to said beam splitter which provides a feedback signal via said interferometor and said control unit to said spatial light modulator to electronically tune the laser.

8. The system of claim 7 in which said diffraction grating is a grazing incidence grating which has a large grating.

9. The system of claim 8 in which said splitter is used to provide about 10% of said laser output signal as the feedback signal and about 90% as the laser output signal.

10. The system of claim 9 in which said interferometer is a Fizeau wavemeter.