Laser with tilted multi spatial mode resonator tuning element
AssigneeAxsun Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDale Flanders, Mark Kuznetsov, Walid Atia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An external cavity laser has a mirror-based resonant tunable filter, such as a Fabry Perot tunable filter or Gires-Tournois interferometer tuning element, with the tunable filter being preferably used as a laser cavity mirror. A mirror-based resonant tunable filter is selected in which the spectral response in reflection has an angular dependence. A tilt scheme is used whereby by selecting an appropriate angle between the filter's nominal optical axis and the cavity optical axis, a narrowband peak spectral reflection is provided to the laser cavity. This tunable narrowband spectral reflection from the filter is used to lock and tune the laser output wavelength.
Claims53
A tunable external cavity laser, comprising
- a gain medium for amplifying light within a laser cavity;
- and
- a resonant tunable filter having an angular dependent spectral reflection response, the tunable filter being angled relative to the laser cavity in order to provide spectral feedback into the laser cavity and the gain medium, the resonant tunable filter being tuned in order to control the laser cavity output wavelength.
A tunable external cavity laser, comprising
- a gain medium for amplifying light within a laser cavity;
- and
- a resonant tunable filter supporting multiple spatial modes to create an angular dependent spectral reflection response;
- and angled relative to the laser cavity in order to provide retroreflected feedback into the laser cavity and the gain medium, the tunable filter being tuned in order to control the laser cavity output wavelength.
A method for configuring an optical system, comprising:
- arranging a resonant tunable filter, supporting multiple spatial modes, to provide a narrowband spectral reflection response to another optical component;
- and
- tuning an optical size of a cavity of the resonant tunable filter in order to control a center wavelength of the narrowband spectral reflection response provided to the optical component.
A spectroscopy method comprising:
- amplifying light within a laser cavity;
- coupling the light to a resonant tunable filter having an angular dependent spectral reflection response, the tunable filter being angled relative to the laser cavity in order to provide spectral feedback into the laser cavity;
- tuning the resonant tunable filter to generate a tunable signal from the laser cavity;.
- applying the tunable signal to an article of interest;
- detecting light returning from the article of interest in order to resolve a spectroscopic response of the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.