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US 6,389,047 B1Granted
Wavelength-selectable laser system using cavity resonance frequency, especially useful for fiber optic communication and wavelength division multiplexing
AssigneeTechnion Research & Development Foundation Limited
InventorBaruch Fischer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wavelength-selectable laser system (10) is achieved by addressing the suitable mode-locked frequency of a multi-length laser cavity formed by multiple wavelength-selective mirrors (20) such as fiber gratings. This is useful for fiber optic communication and WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) networks where there is incorporated an information encoder/modulator (22) of the light in the sending side and a detector in the receiving side, which are matched to the laser system.
Claims16
A wavelength-selectable laser system comprising:
- a complex laser cavity defined by a reflective mirror at one end and at the other end, a series of spaced apart wavelength-selective mirrors each defining a respective predetermined cavity length, associated with a specific wavelength;
- a laser gain element;
- and
- an active modulation element in said complex laser cavity operable to selectively mode-lock said cavity with a mode-locking frequency matched to a specific cavity length among said defined predetermined cavity lengths, thereby providing said specific wavelength,
- said active modulation element being capable of switching from said specific wavelength to another specific wavelength by said selective mode-locking,
- said active modulation element switching being capable of providing a selectable wavelength channel in communications in a dynamic wavelength division multiplexing network, having multiple wavelength channels,
- such that each channel enables carrying of information which can be routed and processed independently.
4 more elements
A method for wavelength selection in lasers comprising the steps of:
- providing a complex laser cavity defined by a reflective mirror at one end and at the other end, a series of spaced apart wavelength-selective mirrors each defining a respective predetermined cavity length, associated with a specific wavelength;
- providing an active modulation element in said complex laser cavity;
- and
- operating said active modulation element to selectively mode-lock said cavity with a mode-locking frequency matched to a specific cavity length among said defined predetermined cavity lengths, thereby providing said specific wavelength,
- said active modulation element being capable of switching from said specific wavelength to another specific wavelength by said selective mode-locking,
- said active modulation element switching being capable of providing a selectable wavelength channel in communications in a dynamic wavelength division multiplexing network, having multiple wavelength channels,
- such that each channel enables carrying of information which can be routed and processed independently.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.