Tunable external cavity laser
First Claim
1. An optical tuning apparatus, comprising:
- a first tunable wavelength selection element configured to define a first plurality of tunable transmission peaks separated by a first adjustable free spectral range, the first plurality of tunable transmission peaks within a gain bandwidth of a gain medium optically couplable to the optical tuning apparatus;
a second tunable wavelength selection element configured to define a second plurality of tunable transmission peaks separated by a second adjustable free spectral range, the second plurality of tunable transmission peaks within the gain bandwidth of the gain medium; and
a controller, operatively coupled to each of the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements, to adjust the first and second free spectral ranges to produce at least one tunable joint transmission peak, wherein each of said at least one tunable joint transmission peak comprises a respective pair of transmission peaks, one from each of the first and second plurality of tunable transmission peaks, that are aligned, and said at least one tunable transmission peak is tuned using a Vernier tuning effect.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods that utilize tunable elements to provide for selective wavelength tuning of a light beam. The apparatus comprises a first tunable wavelength selection element having a first adjustable free spectral range, a second tunable wavelength selection element having a second adjustable free spectral range, with the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements configured to define a tunable joint transmission peak. The first and second tunable wavelength selection elements respectively define first and second pluralities of tunable transmission peaks, wherein respective ones of each of the first and second plurality of transmission peaks are aligned to obtain a joint transmission peak that may be adjusted by tuning the wavelength selection elements. The free spectral ranges of the wavelength selection elements are configured to enable a Vernier tuning effect.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. An optical tuning apparatus, comprising:
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a first tunable wavelength selection element configured to define a first plurality of tunable transmission peaks separated by a first adjustable free spectral range, the first plurality of tunable transmission peaks within a gain bandwidth of a gain medium optically couplable to the optical tuning apparatus;
a second tunable wavelength selection element configured to define a second plurality of tunable transmission peaks separated by a second adjustable free spectral range, the second plurality of tunable transmission peaks within the gain bandwidth of the gain medium; and
a controller, operatively coupled to each of the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements, to adjust the first and second free spectral ranges to produce at least one tunable joint transmission peak, wherein each of said at least one tunable joint transmission peak comprises a respective pair of transmission peaks, one from each of the first and second plurality of tunable transmission peaks, that are aligned, and said at least one tunable transmission peak is tuned using a Vernier tuning effect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A laser apparatus, comprising
a base; -
a gain medium, operatively coupled to the base, to emit a light beam in response to an electric input;
a first tunable wavelength selection element operatively coupled to the base and positioned in the light beam, configured to define a first plurality of tunable transmission peaks having a first adjustable free spectral range, the first plurality of tunable transmission peaks within a gain bandwidth of the gain medium;
a second tunable wavelength selection element operatively coupled to the base and positioned in the light beam, configured to define a second plurality of tunable transmission peaks having a second adjustable free spectral range, the second plurality of tunable transmission peaks within the gain bandwidth of the gain medium; and
a controller, operatively coupled to each of the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements, to tune a wavelength of an optical output produced by the apparatus by concurrently adjusting the first and second free spectral ranges of the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements to define a single joint transmission peak within a selectable wavelength range and adjustable in phase according to tuning of said first and second tunable wavelength selections elements. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for tuning a light beam, comprising:
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positioning a first tunable wavelength selection element in the light beam generated by a gain medium, the first tunable wavelength selection element configured to define a first plurality of tunable transmission peaks having a first adjustable free spectral range, the first plurality of tunable transmission peaks within a gain bandwidth of the gain medium;
positioning a second tunable wavelength selection element in the light beam, the second tunable wavelength selection element configured to define a second plurality of tunable transmission peaks having a second adjustable free spectral range, the second plurality of tunable transmission peaks within the gain bandwidth of the gain medium; and
concurrently tuning the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements to align one of the first plurality of transmission peaks with one of the second plurality of transmission peaks via a Vernier tuning effect to define a single joint transmission peak. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for laser operation, comprising:
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emitting a light beam from a first facet of a gain medium;
positioning an end reflector in the light beam, the end reflector and a second facet of the gain medium defining an external laser cavity;
positioning first and second tunable wavelength selection element in the light beam between the first facet of the gain medium and the end reflector, the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements respectively configured to define first and second pluralities of tunable transmission peaks having respective first and second free spectral ranges, the first and second pluralities of tunable transmission peaks within a gain bandwidth of the gain medium;
defining a single joint transmission peak from said first and second pluralities of transmission peaks; and
adjusting the joint transmission peak by concurrently tuning the first and second tunable wavelength selection elements.
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50. A laser apparatus comprising:
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gain means for emitting a light beam; and
first and second tunable means for wavelength selection of the light beam, each configured to define a respective plurality of transmission peaks and having respective tunable free spectral ranges, wherein each respective plurality of tunable transmission peaks within a gain bandwidth of the gain means; and
control means for tuning the first and second tunable means for wavelength selection to produce a tunable joint transmission peak by aligning one of the transmission peaks for each of the first and second plurality of transmission peaks using a Vernier turning effect. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A laser apparatus, comprising
a base; -
an end reflector, operatively coupled to the base;
a gain medium, operatively coupled to the base, having a first facet from which a light beam is emitted in response to an electric input and a second facet opposite the first facet, the second facet and the reflector defining an external laser cavity having a first adjustable free spectral range and providing a plurality of lasing modes having a first plurality of transmission peaks within a gain bandwidth of the gain medium; and
a tunable wavelength selection element operatively coupled to the base and positioned between the first facet and the reflector, configured to define a second plurality of tunable transmission peaks having a second adjustable free spectral range, the second plurality of tunable transmission peaks within the gain bandwidth of the gain medium, wherein the first adjustable free spectral range is related to the second adjustable free spectral range such that the first and second plurality of transmission peaks may be adjusted to generate a tunable joint transmission peak via a Vernier tuning effect. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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Specification