Compression-tuned fiber laser
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tunable laser, comprising:
- a laser cavity comprising a solid optical waveguide;
said waveguide being doped with a rare-earth dopant which provides a gain medium within said laser cavity;
a pair of reflective elements delimiting said laser cavity;
the length of said laser cavity, the gain of said gain medium, and the reflectivity of said reflective elements being so as to cause lasing to occur at a predetermined lasing wavelength;
said reflective elements reflecting incident light at said lasing wavelength; and
compression means for compressing said solid optical waveguide so as to change said lasing wavelength.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber laser 26 including a rare-earth doped fiber laser cavity 32 delimited by a pair of reflective elements 28,30, such as Bragg gratings, is tuned by compressing the cavity 32 and the gratings 28,30. Because an optical fiber is a much stronger under compression than in tension, the laser 26 is tunable over a much broader range than conventional tension/stretching techniques.
101 Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A tunable laser, comprising:
-
a laser cavity comprising a solid optical waveguide; said waveguide being doped with a rare-earth dopant which provides a gain medium within said laser cavity; a pair of reflective elements delimiting said laser cavity; the length of said laser cavity, the gain of said gain medium, and the reflectivity of said reflective elements being so as to cause lasing to occur at a predetermined lasing wavelength; said reflective elements reflecting incident light at said lasing wavelength; and compression means for compressing said solid optical waveguide so as to change said lasing wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for tuning the lasing wavelength of a waveguide laser, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining a laser cavity comprising a solid optical waveguide, a portion of which is doped with a rare-earth dopant; and compressing said solid optical waveguide thereby altering the length of said cavity and changing a lasing wavelength of said laser. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
Specification