Single longitudinal mode laser diode system
AssigneeNecsel Intellectual Property, Inc.
InventorsBoris Leonidovich Volodin, Vladimir Sinisa Ban, Sergei Dolgy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor laser diode system may include a single longitudinal mode laser diode and a feedback system that monitors and controls the emission characteristics of the laser diode. The laser diode may include a gain medium and an optical feedback device. The feedback system may include a wavelength discriminator, an optical detector, a microprocessor, and a laser controller. Such a semiconductor laser diode system may be used to produce laser light having coherence length, wavelength precision, and wavelength stability that is equivalent to that of a gas laser. Accordingly, such a semiconductor laser diode system may be used in place of a traditional gas laser.
Claims17
A semiconductor laser diode system, comprising:
- a laser diode comprising a gain medium and an optical feedback device, wherein the optical feedback device is a three-dimensional optical element having a Bragg grating recorded therein, and wherein the Bragg grating causes a narrowband portion of radiation emitted from the gain medium to be fed back into the gain medium;
- and
- a control system comprising an optical detector that receives light emitted from the laser diode without an intervening wavelength discriminator and produces a monitor current that is proportional to an output optical power of the laser diode,
- wherein the control system monitors the monitor current and, based on sudden increases in the monitor current, the control system adjusts at least one of a laser drive current or a laser operating temperature to cause the laser diode to achieve and maintain a single longitudinal mode operating condition.
A semiconductor laser diode system, comprising:
- a semiconductor laser diode comprising a laser source and having a laser cavity;
- an optical feedback device that causes a narrowband portion of radiation emitted from the laser source to be fed back into the laser cavity;
- and
- a control system comprising an optical detector that receives light emitted from the laser diode without an intervening wavelength discriminator and produces a monitor current that is proportional to an output optical power of the laser diode,
- wherein the control system monitors the monitor current and, based on sudden increases in the monitor current, the control system causes the laser diode to achieve and maintain a single longitudinal mode operating condition, and
- wherein the laser diode system produces laser light having a coherence length of at least 30 meters, a wavelength precision of +/−0.01 nm, and a wavelength stability of +/−0.5 picometers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.