Wavelength tuning source based on a rotatable reflector

• US 7,949,019 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Hospital Corporation
• Inventors: Yun, Seok-Yun, Vakoc, Benjamin J., Tearney, Guillermo J., Oh, Wang-Yuhl, Bouma, Brett E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; Minsun
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US12/015,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 372/20, 372/24, 372/28, 372/99, 372/102
• US Class Current: 372/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/021 using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or particular reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0229 using masks, aperture plates, spatial light modulators or spatial filters, e.g. reflective filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/06 Scanning arrangements arrangements for order-selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/002 the movement or the deformation controlling the frequency of light, e.g. by Doppler effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/04 by periodically varying the intensity of light, e.g. using choppers shutters, diaphragms for cameras G03B9/00; devices for eliminating or reducing the effect of flicker in projection systems G03B21/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/08 Construction or shape of optical resonators or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/08009 using a diffraction grating
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0805 by apertures, e.g. pin-holes or knife-edges
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/08063 Graded reflectivity, e.g. variable reflectivity mirror
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/10046 Pulse repetition rate control H01S3/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/105 by controlling the mutual position or the reflecting properties of the reflectors of the cavity , e.g. by controlling the cavity lengthH01S3/10076, H01S3/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/106 by controlling devices placed within the cavity H01S3/10076, H01S3/13 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and source arrangement for filtering an electromagnetic radiation can be provided which may include at least one spectral separating arrangement configured to physically separate one or more components of the electromagnetic radiation based on a frequency of the electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus and source arrangement may also have at least one continuously rotating optical arrangement, e.g., polygonal scanning mirror and spinning reflector disk scanner, which is configured to receive at least one signal that is associated with the one or more components. Further, the apparatus and source arrangement can include at least one beam selecting arrangement configured to receive the signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an arrangement including at least one section thereon which is configured to receive a first electro-magnetic radiation,

wherein the at least one section is configured to at least one of transmit or reflect a second electro-magnetic radiation associated with the first electro-magnetic radiation, and

wherein the at least one section is configured to modify the second electro-magnetic radiation to have;

a. a particular wave number which varies linearly in time, and

b. a mean frequency which changes over time at a rate that is greater than 100 terahertz per millisecond, and

wherein the transmission or the reflection by the at least one section is wavelength-independent.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mean frequency changes repeatedly at a repetition rate that is greater than 5 kilohertz.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spectrum has an instantaneous line width that is smaller than 100 gigahertz.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement includes a continuously rotating disk which at least one of reflects or transmits through the at least one section the second electro-magnetic radiation to a particular location.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one section has a curved shape.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement is provided in a laser cavity.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control arrangement which allows at least one of a processing arrangement or a user to control the mean frequency.

5. An apparatus comprising

an arrangement including at least one section thereon which is configured to receive a first electro-magnetic radiation,

wherein the at least one section is configured to at least one of transmit or reflect a second electro-magnetic radiation associated with the first electro-magnetic radiation, and

wherein the at least one section is configured to modify the second electro-magnetic radiation to have:

a. a particular wave number which varies linearly in time, and

b. a mean frequency which changes over time at a rate that is greater than 100 terahertz per millisecond,

wherein the arrangement includes a continuously rotating disk which at least one of reflects or transmits through the at least one section the second electro-magnetic radiation to a particular location, and

wherein the rotating disk includes at least one portion which at least one of reflects or transmits the second electro-magnetic radiation, provided on a surface of the rotating disk, and defined by a line whose points are provided at a radial distance which are different from one another.

9. An apparatus for providing an electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

a first continuously-rotating arrangement including at least one section thereon which is configured to receive a first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the at least one section is configured to at least one of transmit or reflect a second electro-magnetic radiation associated with the first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the transmission or the reflection by the at least one section is wavelength-independent, and wherein a wavelength of the second electro-magnetic radiation is scanned in a characteristic repetition time; and

a second arrangement including at least one laser cavity which is configured to receive the second electro-magnetic radiation, wherein a roundtrip travel time of the second electro-magnetic radiation in the laser cavity is substantially equal to an integer multiple of the characteristic repetition time,

wherein the first arrangement includes at least one rotating disk which at least one of reflects or transmits through the at least one section the second electro-magnetic radiation to a particular location, and

wherein the at least one rotating disk includes at least one portion which at least one of reflects or transmits the second electro-magnetic radiation, provided on a surface of the rotating disk, configured to modify the second electro-magnetic radiation to have a particular wave number which varies linearly in time, and defined by a line whose points are provided at a radial distance which are different from one another.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a third arrangement configured to control at least one of the roundtrip travel time or the characteristic repetition time.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a fourth arrangement configured to determine a relationship between the roundtrip travel time and the characteristic repetition time, and control the third arrangement based on the relationship.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a further arrangement configured to control at least one of the roundtrip travel time or the characteristic repetition time and determine a relationship between the roundtrip travel time and the characteristic repetition time, wherein the further arrangement is controlled based on the relationship.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the at least one section transmits or reflects the second electro-magnetic radiation for all wavelengths in the scan.

13. An apparatus for providing an electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

a first arrangement including at least one section thereon which is configured to receive a first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the at least one section is configured to at least one of transmit or reflect a second electro-magnetic radiation associated with the first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the transmission or the reflection by the at least one section is wavelength-independent, and wherein a wavelength of the second electro-magnetic radiation is scanned in a characteristic repetition time;

a second arrangement including at least one laser cavity which is configured to receive the second electro-magnetic radiation, wherein a roundtrip travel time of the second electro-magnetic radiation in the laser cavity is substantially equal to an integer multiple of the characteristic repetition time; and

a third arrangement provided internally or externally with respect to the second arrangement, and configured to amplify at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or the second electro-magnetic radiation based on at least one Raman amplification characteristic,

wherein the first arrangement includes a continuously rotating disk which at least one of reflects or transmits through the at least one section the second electro-magnetic radiation to a particular location, and

wherein the rotating disk includes at least one portion which at least one of reflects or transmits the second electro-magnetic radiation, provided on a surface of the rotating disk, configured to modify the second electro-magnetic radiation to have a particular wave number which varies linearly in time, and defined by a line whose points are provided at a radial distance which are different from one another.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a fourth arrangement configured to control at least one of the roundtrip travel time or the characteristic repetition time.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a fifth arrangement configured to determine a relationship between the roundtrip travel time and the characteristic repetition time, and control the fourth arrangement based on the relationship.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a further arrangement configured to control at least one of the roundtrip travel time or the characteristic repetition time and determine a relationship between the roundtrip travel time and the characteristic repetition time, wherein the further arrangement is controlled based on the relationship.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein each of the at least one section transmits or reflects the second electro-magnetic radiation for all wavelengths in the scan.