Precisely wavelength-tunable and wavelength-switchable narrow linewidth lasers

• US RE41,642 E1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nathaniel C. Libatique, Ravinder Jain
• Original Assignee: Nathaniel C. Libatique, Ravinder Jain
• Inventors: Jain, Ravinder, Libatique, Nathaniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; Minsun Oh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phillip
• Application Number:
  US11/140,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 372/20, 372/92, 372/94, 372/98, 372/102
• US Class Current: 372/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/06712 Polarising fibre; Polariser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0675 Resonators including a grating structure, e.g. distributed Bragg reflectors [DBR] or distributed feedback [DFB] fibre lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/06791 Fibre ring lasers fibre laser gyrometers G01C19/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/08013 Resonator comprising a fibre, e.g. for modifying dispersion or repetition rate the active medium being a fibre H01S3/067
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/08086 Multiple-wavelength emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1062 using a controlled passive interferometer, e.g. a Fabry-Perot etalon
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/107 using electro-optic devices, e.g. exhibiting Pockels or Kerr effect H01S3/1061, H01S3/1063, H01S3/1065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/146 using a fiber as external cavity

Abstract

Continuously tunable and precisely wavelength-switchable fiber lasers combine fiber Bragg gratings and the transmissive filtering properties of high finesse fiber Fabry-Perot filters. This laser arrangement adapts to multiple wavelength ranges based on the selections of fiber Bragg grating and gain medium and their arrangement to create a wavelength-modulatable and simultaneously rapidly wavelength-switchable narrow linewidth all-fiber laser design. This laser arrangement further results in narrow-linewidth outputs with fast switching speeds between the selected wavelengths.

Claims

1. A precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser, said laser comprising:

a gain medium;

a pump source, said pump source for providing light to said gain medium;

a laser cavity resonator having a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator;

a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator transmissive filter loop, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter;

a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator first arm; and

means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator.

2. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said laser cavity resonator has a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm;

said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said transmissive filter loop; and

said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said first arm.

3. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 2 1, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, and second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop.

4. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 3, further comprising a mirror disposed at an end of said second arm distal from said transmissive filter loop.

5. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 2 1, further comprising an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said transmissive filter loop and said at least a first arm.

6. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 5, wherein said optical feedback coupling device is selected from the group consisting of:

N-port optical circulators, fused fiber couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.

7. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 5, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, said second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop by said optical coupling feedback device.

8. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said multiwavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and

micro-machined FP filters;

semiconductor FP filters;

Micro-ring resonators;

waveguide couplers;

Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors; and

bulk-optic -based PI filters.

9. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters;

electro-optic FP filters;

current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter;

tunable Micro-ring resonators;

tunable waveguide couplers;

grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers;

tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and

tunable bulk-optic -based PI filters.

10. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of:

doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.

11. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 1, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.

12. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 11, wherein said means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of:

electro-optic tuning devices, strain-tuned tuning devices and electro-absorptive tuning devices.

13. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 1, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μ

s.

14. The precisely and rapidly wavelength-tunable CWR continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser recited in claim 1 13, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.

15. A precisely wavelength-tunable laser, said laser comprising:

a gain medium;

a pump source, said pump source for providing light to said gain medium;

a laser cavity resonator having a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator;

a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator transmissive filter loop, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter;

a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator first arm, wherein said multi-wavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and

micro-machined FP filters;

semiconductor FP filters;

Micro-ring resonators;

waveguide couplers;

Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors; and

bulk-optic-based PI filters; and

means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator.

16. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, wherein said laser cavity resonator has a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm;

said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said transmissive filter loop; and

said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said first arm.

17. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 16 15, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, and second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop.

18. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 17, further comprising a mirror disposed at an end of said second arm distal from said transmissive filter loop.

19. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 16 15, further comprising an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said transmissive filter loop and said at least a first arm.

20. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 19, wherein said optical coupling feedback device is selected from the group consisting of:

N-port optical circulators, fiber fused couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.

21. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 19, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, said second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop by said optical coupling feedback device.

22. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters;

electro-optic FP filters;

current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter, tunable Micro-ring resonators;

tunable waveguide couplers;

grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers;

tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and

tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.

23. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of:

doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.

24. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 15, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.

25. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 24, wherein said means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of:

electro-optic tuning devices, strain-tuned tuning devices and electro-absorptive tuning devices.

26. The precisely wavelength-tunable narrow linewidth laser recited in claim 15, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μ

s.

27. A precisely wavelength-tunable laser, said laser comprising:

a gain medium;

a pump source, said pump source for providing light to said gain medium;

a laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator;

a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter;

a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator; and

means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator, wherein said laser cavity resonator has a gain loop and at least a first arm and a second arm attached to said gain loop;

said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said first arm; and

said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said second arm.

28. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said multiwavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and

micromachined FP filters;

semiconductor FP filters;

Micro-ring resonators;

waveguide couplers;

Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors; and

bulk-optic -based PI filters.

29. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters;

electro-optic FP filters;

current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter;

tunable Micro-ring resonators;

tunable waveguide couplers;

grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers;

tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and

tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.

30. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of:

doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.

31. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.

32. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 31, wherein said means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of:

electro-optic tuning devices, strain-tuned tuning devices and electro-absorptive tuning devices.

33. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μ

s.

34. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 27, further comprising an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said transmissive filter loop and said at least a first arm.

35. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 34, wherein said optical coupling feedback device is selected from the group consisting of:

N-port optical circulators, fiber fused couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.

36. A precisely wavelength-tunable laser, said laser comprising:

a gain medium;

a pump source, said pump source providing light to said gain medium;

a first laser cavity resonator, said pump source optically aligned with said first laser cavity resonator;

a second laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in either said first laser cavity resonator or said second laser cavity resonator;

an optical coupling feedback device for combining optical feedback from said first and second laser cavity resonators;

a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said first laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter;

a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said second laser cavity resonator; and

means for removing an output signal from one of said laser cavity resonators.

37. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said multi-wavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and

micromachined FP filters;

semiconductor FP filters;

Micro-ring resonators;

waveguide couplers;

Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors; and

bulk-optic-based PI filters.

38. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Liquid Crystal (LQ-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters;

electro-optic FP filters;

current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter;

tunable Micro-ring resonators;

tunable waveguide couplers;

grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers;

tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and

tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.

39. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of:

doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.

40. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μ

s.

41. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 36, wherein said optical feedback coupling device is selected from the group consisting of:

N-port optical circulators, fused fiber couplers, and waveguide-Y junctions.

42. A precisely wavelength tunable laser, said laser comprising:

a gain medium;

a pump source, said pump source providing light to said gain medium;

a laser cavity resonator, said gain medium disposed in said laser cavity resonator and said pump source optically aligned with said laser cavity resonator;

a rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator, wherein said wavelength-tunable filter is tunable by application of voltage across said wavelength-tunable filter;

a multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said laser cavity resonator;

a coupling means; and

means for removing an output signal from said laser cavity resonator;

wherein said laser cavity resonator has a transmissive filter loop and at least a first arm;

said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter disposed in said transmissive filter loop; and

said multi-wavelength grid filter disposed in said first arm, said transmissive filter loop coupled by said coupling means to said first arm.

43. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said multi-wavelength grid filter is selected from the group consisting of Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

fiber FP filters and micro-optic; and

micromachined FP filters;

semiconductor FP filters;

Micro-ring resonators;

waveguide couplers;

Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors; and

bulk-optic-based PI filters.

44. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter is selected from the group consisting of tunable Reflective Waveguide Bragg Gratings (WBGs);

tunable FBGs (Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable SWBG (Sampled Waveguide Bragg Gratings);

tunable SFBGs (Sampled Fiber Bragg Gratings);

tunable Transmissive WBGs;

phase-shifted tunable FBGs (with single or multiple passbands);

tunable Fabry-Perot (FP) micro-etalons and filters;

PZT-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Liquid Crystal (LC)-based fiber FP (FFP) filters;

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)-based FP filters;

electro-optic FP filters;

current injection or optically tuned semiconductor FP filter;

tunable Micro-ring resonators;

tunable waveguide couplers;

grating-assisted waveguide couplers and electro-optic waveguide couplers;

tunable Interferometric-waveguide-based filters;

tunable Michelson Interferometric (MI) waveguide filters;

tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometric (MZI) waveguide based filters;

tunable Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs); and

tunable polarization interferometric (PI) waveguide-based filters;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable electro-optic (EO) birefringent elements;

fiber loop mirrors with tunable semiconductor birefringent elements; and

tunable bulk-optic-based PI filters.

45. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said gain medium is selected from the group consisting of:

doped fiber optic waveguides and semiconductor optical amplifiers.

46. The precisely wavelength tunable laser recited in claim 42, further comprising means for tuning said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter.

47. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 42, further comprising a second arm in said laser cavity resonator, and second arm coupled to said first arm and said transmissive filter loop by said coupling means.

48. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 47, further comprising a mirror disposed at an end of said second arm distal from said transmissive filter loop.

49. The precisely wavelength-tunable laser recited in claim 42, wherein said rapidly wavelength-tunable filter has a tuning speed of less than 50 μ

s.