Laser power adjustment during tuning to compensate for detector response and varying background absorption

A method for analyzing a sample comprising:

• providing a detector assembly having a linear response range with an upper bound and a lower bound;
• generating an illumination beam that is directed at the detector assembly with a gain medium of a tunable laser assembly that is tunable over a tunable range;
• and
• dynamically adjusting a laser drive to the gain medium with a laser controller so that the illumination beam has a substantially constant optical power at the detector assembly while the tunable laser assembly is tuned over at least a portion of the tunable range.

An assembly comprising:

• a temperature management system;
• a tunable laser assembly that is tunable over a tunable range, the tunable laser assembly including a gain medium that generates an illumination beam that is directed at the detector assembly, and a thermal compensator positioned near the gain medium, wherein the gain medium and the thermal compensator are in thermal communication with the temperature management system;
• and
• a laser controller that dynamically adjusts a laser drive to the gain medium as a function of wavelength, and that dynamically adjusts a compensator drive to the thermal compensator to dynamically control a thermal load on the temperature management system as the laser assembly is tuned over the tunable range.

A method for analyzing a sample comprising:

• generating an illumination beam that is directed at the sample with a gain medium of a tunable laser assembly that is tunable over a tunable range;
• positioning a thermal compensator near the gain medium;
• thermally connecting the gain medium and the thermal compensator to a temperature management system;
• dynamically adjusting a laser drive to the gain medium with a laser controller as a function of wavelength;
• and
• dynamically adjusting a compensator drive to the thermal compensator to dynamically control a thermal load on the temperature management system as the laser assembly is tuned over the tunable range.