Programmable multiwavelength modelocked laser

• US 6,801,551 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Central Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Central Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Delfyett, Peter, Park, Eric, Croeze, Trino
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Cornelius H
• Application Number:
  US10/132,820
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 372/20, 372/23, 349/29, 398/201
• US Class Current: 372/23
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/065 Mode locking; Mode suppression; Mode selection ; Self pulsating
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0657 Mode locking, i.e. generation of pulses at a frequency corresponding to a roundtrip in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4062 with an external cavity or using internal filters, e.g. Talbot filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength

Abstract

A programmable multiwavelength modelocked laser system. Embodiments of the system can use a computer, gratings, optical spectrum analyzer and SLM(spatial light modulator) inside of a laser cavity to control output amplitudes and phase of each of the wavelength channels of a multiple wavelength laser system. The programmable control allows for wavelength intensity(amplitude) levels of up to approximately 16 channels to be controlled and evened out. An InGaAsP SOA based modelocked multiwavelength ring laser is stabilized using a programmable liquid crystal spatial light modulator in a feedback control loop. The system produces 16 independent modelocked RZ wavelength channels at 10 GHz with 0.44 dB flatness and 25 psec pulses.

Claims

1. A programmable multiwavelength laser system, comprising:

means for simultaneously generating multiwavelength channels from an optical cavity having a laser source and a spatial light modulator(SLM) with liquid crystals; and

a programmable control loop having a computer connected to the cavity through the spatial light modulator(SLM) for automatically controlling amplitude levels of each of the channels within the optical cavity, wherein the computer adjusts transmission levels of each liquid pixel in the SML to optimize power intensity levels in each output channel.

2. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 1, wherein the laser source includes:

a modelocked laser source.

3. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 1, wherein the laser source includes:

a diode laser source.

4. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 1, further comprising:

gratings within the optical cavity connected the SLM.

5. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 1, wherein the programmable control loop further includes:

means for controlling both phase and amplitude levels of each of the channels.

6. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 1, wherein the optical cavity includes:

a closed loop cavity.

7. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 1, wherein the laser source includes:

a semiconductor optical amplifier(SOA).

8. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier connected to an output of the optical cavity for providing single pass amplification of output signals from the optical cavity.

9. The programmable multiwavelength laser system of claim 8, wherein the amplifier includes:

a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA).

10. A programmable method for controlling intensity levels in a multiwavelength laser device, comprising the steps of:

generating simultaneously multiple wavelength channels from an optical cavity that includes a laser source and a spatial light modulator(SLM) with liquid crystals; and

automatically controlling amplitude levels of each of the channels, within the optical cavity by a programmable control loop having a computer, the programmable control loop being connected to the optical cavity through the spatial light modulator(SLM), wherein the computer adjusts transmission levels of each liquid pixel in the SLM to optimize power intensity levels in each output channel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating further includes the step of:

modelocking the laser source.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of automatically controlling includes the step of:

controlling amplitude values of the channels.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

providing a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) as the laser source.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

providing a laser diode as the laser source.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

amplifying output signals in a single pass from the optical cavity with an amplifier.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing a semiconductor optical amplifier(SOA) as the amplifier.