Laser with tilted multi spatial mode resonator tuning element
AssigneeAxsun Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDale C. Flanders, Mark E. Kuznetsov, Walid A. Atia
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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.
Claims20
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 providing feedback into the laser cavity and the gain medium, the resonant tunable filter being tuned in order to control the laser cavity output wavelength, wherein the resonant tunable filter supports multiple spatial modes and the feedback into the laser cavity includes at least one higher order spatial mode of the resonant tunable filter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.