Polarized frequency-selective optical source
First Claim
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1. A polarized frequency-selective optical source comprising:
- a first optical reflector;
at least a second optical reflector aligned with said first optical reflector to define a resonating structure;
a polarized solid state optical gain medium disposed in said resonating structure to generate first polarized optical energy;
a solid state integrated optical tuning structure in an optical path within said resonating structure optically coupled to said optical gain medium, the optical tuning structure comprising;
a frequency-selective polarization converter having a first port and a second port coupled by a first solid state waveguide, said first port coupled to receive said first polarized optical energy; and
a second solid state optical waveguide coupled to said second port of said polarization converter, said second waveguide supporting only second polarized optical energy, said second polarized optical energy being differently polarized than said first polarized optical energy; and
means for extracting frequency-selected optical energy from the optical path passing through said polarization converter, wherein at a selected optical frequency defined by said integrated optical tuning structure, said first polarized optical energy is substantially converted to said second polarized optical energy in order to produce a low-loss longitudinally-twisted polarization mode of said optical energy in said resonating structure.
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Abstract
A laser cavity configuration employs polarization switching to obtain a high output power in a single transverse spatial mode from an integrated external cavity diode laser device. The structure provides stabilization and rapid tuning of the frequency of the diode laser. An advantage is that an integrated structure provides output of the laser in a waveguide with the correct polarization for subsequent applications while supporting optimal polarization in a solid state active medium. The external cavity diode laser according to the invention is consistent with a planar manufacturing process such that high volume, low cost products can be achieved.
89 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A polarized frequency-selective optical source comprising:
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a first optical reflector; at least a second optical reflector aligned with said first optical reflector to define a resonating structure; a polarized solid state optical gain medium disposed in said resonating structure to generate first polarized optical energy; a solid state integrated optical tuning structure in an optical path within said resonating structure optically coupled to said optical gain medium, the optical tuning structure comprising; a frequency-selective polarization converter having a first port and a second port coupled by a first solid state waveguide, said first port coupled to receive said first polarized optical energy; and a second solid state optical waveguide coupled to said second port of said polarization converter, said second waveguide supporting only second polarized optical energy, said second polarized optical energy being differently polarized than said first polarized optical energy; and means for extracting frequency-selected optical energy from the optical path passing through said polarization converter, wherein at a selected optical frequency defined by said integrated optical tuning structure, said first polarized optical energy is substantially converted to said second polarized optical energy in order to produce a low-loss longitudinally-twisted polarization mode of said optical energy in said resonating structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A polarized frequency-selective optical amplifier comprising:
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a polarized solid state optical gain medium disposed in an optical path; a solid state integrated optical tuning structure in said optical path and optically coupled to said optical gain medium, the optical tuning structure comprising; a frequency-selective polarization converter having a first port, a second port and a first solid state waveguide coupling said first port and said second port, said first port coupled to receive first polarized optical energy; and a second solid state optical waveguide coupled to said second port of said polarization converter, said second waveguide supporting only second polarized optical energy, said polarized optical energy being frequency selected by said polarization converter. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A polarized frequency-stabilized nonlinearly- converted optical source comprising:
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a first optical reflector; at least a second optical reflector aligned along an optical path, said optical reflector defining a resonating structure with said first optical reflector; a polarized optical exciter within said resonating structure for generating optical energy at a fundamental frequency polarized in a first sense transverse to propagation direction; a frequency-selective waveguide polarization converter having a first port and a second port, said first port coupled to receive said first-sense polarized optical energy from said optical exciter; an optical polarization means coupled to said second port of said polarization converter; a nonlinear frequency conversion means disposed along said optical path; and means for extracting frequency-converted optical energy from said optical path, wherein said polarized optical energy is frequency selected at said fundamental frequency by said frequency-selective waveguide polarization converter to fall within an acceptance frequency range of said nonlinear frequency conversion means to produce output converted optical energy. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A polarized frequency-selective optical source comprising:
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a polarized optical exciter; a solid state integrated frequency-selective optical tuning structure having a first port and a second port, said first port coupled to receive polarized optical energy polarized in a first sense from said optical exciter, said integrated optical tuning structure comprising; a frequency selective polarization converter; and a polarized waveguide for supporting polarized energy in a second sense, wherein said second-sense polarization is different from said first-sense polarization and wherein said second-sense polarized energy is frequency selected by said optical tuning structure. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A polarized frequency-selective optical source comprising:
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a first optical reflector; at least a second optical reflector aligned with said first optical reflector to define a resonating structure; a polarized solid state optical exciter comprising a nonpolarized optical gain medium and a polarizer disposed in said resonating structure to generate first polarized optical energy; a solid state integrated optical tuning structure in an optical path within said resonating structure optically coupled to said optical gain medium, the optical tuning structure comprising; a frequency-selective polarization converter having a first port and a second port coupled by a first solid state waveguide, said first port coupled to receive said first polarized optical energy; and a second solid state optical waveguide coupled to said second port of said polarization converter, said second waveguide supporting only second polarized optical energy, said second polarized optical energy being differently polarized than said first polarized optical energy; and means for extracting frequency-selected optical energy from the optical path passing through said polarization converter, wherein at a selected optical frequency defined by said integrated optical tuning structure, said first polarized optical energy is substantially converted to said second polarized optical energy in order to produce a low-loss longitudinally-twisted polarization mode of said optical energy in said resonating structure.
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Specification