Method and device for generating optical pulses
AssigneeFrance Telecom Etablissement Autonome de Droit Public
InventorsJean Debeau, Remi Boittin
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Abstract
Method and device for generating optical pulses. According to the invention, in order to generate an optical signal in the form of optical pulses, a semiconductor laser (2) is made to function as gain commutation, and a portion of the light produced by this laser is reinjected into the laser. The light to be reinjected is previously filtered by an optical filter (12) which is tuned to one of the modes of the laser. Another portion of the light produced by the laser is used as an optical signal after having been filtered this portion by the optical filter.
Claims12
A method for generating an optical signal in the form of optical pulses, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a semiconductor laser adapted to function in gain commutation;
- filtering light produced by said laser by an optical filter which is tuned onto a mode of the laser;
- reinjecting a first portion of the light produced by the laser back into said laser after filtering by the optical filter;
- and
- using a second portion of the light produced by the laser as an optical signal after filtering by the optical filter, wherein the first and second portions of the light produced by the laser undergo the same filtering.
A device for generating an optical signal in the form of optical pulses, said device comprising:
- a semiconductor laser for producing light;
- means for controlling the semiconductor laser suitably adapted for making said laser function in gain commutation;
- and
- supply and reinjection means for reinjecting a first portion of the light produced by said laser back into said laser and supplying a second portion of the light produced by said laser as an optical signal, said supply and reinjection means including an optical filter which is tuned onto a mode of the laser and which filters the light to be reinjected and the light forming the optical signal, wherein the first and second portions of the light produced by the laser undergo the same filtering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.