External cavity laser with rotary tuning element
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A rotary tuning element, comprising:
- a variable transmission filter, having a transmission wavelength that varies as a function of rotation angle;
a compensation prism having a thickness that varies as a function of rotation angle, the compensation prism usable to alter a cavity length of an external cavity laser to correspond to the transmission wavelength of the variable transmission filter;
a first etalon having a transmission wavelength that varies as a function of rotation angle in a manner that corresponds to the transmission wavelength of the variable transmission filter; and
a second etalon having a transmission wavelength that varies as a function of rotation angle in a manner that corresponds to the transmission wavelength of the variable transmission filter,wherein;
the first and second etalon are arranged in series along a nominal optical path through the rotary tuning element; and
the variable transmission filter, the compensation prism, and the first and second etalons are arranged such that the rotary tuning element is usable to provide nominally mode-hop free tuning when positioned along an optical path of an external cavity laser.
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Abstract
An external cavity laser has a wavelength of the laser output that is tuned by a rotary tuning element mounted on the axle of a motor. The rotary tuning element includes a variable thickness interference film for wavelength selection, and a variable thickness compensation prism to adjust the cavity length appropriately for the selected wavelength, to stable wavelengths and mode-hop-free tuning ranges as the tuning element is rotated.
136 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A rotary tuning element, comprising:
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a variable transmission filter, having a transmission wavelength that varies as a function of rotation angle; a compensation prism having a thickness that varies as a function of rotation angle, the compensation prism usable to alter a cavity length of an external cavity laser to correspond to the transmission wavelength of the variable transmission filter; a first etalon having a transmission wavelength that varies as a function of rotation angle in a manner that corresponds to the transmission wavelength of the variable transmission filter; and a second etalon having a transmission wavelength that varies as a function of rotation angle in a manner that corresponds to the transmission wavelength of the variable transmission filter, wherein; the first and second etalon are arranged in series along a nominal optical path through the rotary tuning element; and the variable transmission filter, the compensation prism, and the first and second etalons are arranged such that the rotary tuning element is usable to provide nominally mode-hop free tuning when positioned along an optical path of an external cavity laser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An external cavity laser, comprising
a laser diode; -
a reflector; a rotary tuning element comprising a variable transmission filter, having a transmission wavelength that varies as a function of rotation angle, and a compensation prism having a thickness that varies as a function of rotation angle, the compensation prism usable to alter a cavity length of an external cavity laser to correspond to the transmission wavelength of the variable transmission filter; and a rotary motor usable to rotate the rotary tuning element, wherein; the rotary tuning element is operably disposed along an optical path between the laser diode and the reflector; and the rotary tuning element includes a pattern that is replicated multiple times around the rotary tuning element as a function of rotation angle and the external cavity laser is operable to provide a variable wavelength output that is mode-hop free and that repetitively varies without the use of reciprocal motion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification