United States Patent
US Patent 8311067: System and devices for improving external cavity…
US 8311067 · granted 2012-11-13
Abstract
External cavity laser (ECL) systems and methods for measuring the wavelength of the ECL by using a portion of the positional light received by the position sensitive detector (PSD) to determine the position of a wavelength tuning element (such as a diffraction grating or an etalon), for determining the longitudinal laser mode or power output of the laser from a portion of the laser light received by a beam-shearing mode sensor, and by using a non-output beam(s) from a transmissive diffraction grating in the ECL to monitor the external cavity laser.
| Patent Number | 8311067 |
|---|---|
| Title | System and devices for improving external cavity diode lasers using wavelength and mode sensors and compact optical paths |
| Granted | 2012-11-13 |
| CPC Classification | H01S 3/10 |
| Number of Claims | 24 |
Abstract
External cavity laser (ECL) systems and methods for measuring the wavelength of the ECL by using a portion of the positional light received by the position sensitive detector (PSD) to determine the position of a wavelength tuning element (such as a diffraction grating or an etalon), for determining the longitudinal laser mode or power output of the laser from a portion of the laser light received by a beam-shearing mode sensor, and by using a non-output beam(s) from a transmissive diffraction grating in the ECL to monitor the external cavity laser.
Claim 1
A system comprising: an external cavity laser having a laser cavity comprising: a laser medium for generating laser light; a movable wavelength tuning element spaced fromthe laser medium for receiving at least a portion of the laser light; and two or more partially reflective optical surfaces which provide feedback of laser light to the laser medium and define the operating mode of the laser cavity; a positional lightsource which generates positional light; and a position sensitive detector which receives at least a portion of the positional light; wherein the positional light source is connected to the wavelength tuning element so that, as the wavelength tuningelement moves, the positional light source moves along a track; wherein, in receiving the portion of the positional light, the position sensitive detector thereby determines a position of the wavelength tuning element based on movement of the positionallight source along the track; wherein the laser comprises a laser diode; wherein the wavelength tuning element is a diffraction grating, and wherein the laser cavity is positioned between the laser diode and the diffraction grating; wherein thediffraction grating pivots about
Claims
24 totalA system comprising: an external cavity laser having a laser cavity comprising: a laser medium for generating laser light; a movable wavelength tuning element spaced fromthe laser medium for receiving at least a portion of the laser light; and two or more partially reflective optical surfaces which provide feedback of laser light to the laser medium and define the operating mode of the laser cavity; a positional lightsource which generates positional light; and a position sensitive detector which receives at least a portion of the positional light; wherein the positional light source is connected to the wavelength tuning element so that, as the wavelength tuningelement moves, the positional light source moves along a track; wherein, in receiving the portion of the positional light, the position sensitive detector thereby determines a position of the wavelength tuning element based on movement of the positionallight source along the track; wherein the laser comprises a laser diode; wherein the wavelength tuning element is a diffraction grating, and wherein the laser cavity is positioned between the laser diode and the diffraction grating; wherein thediffraction grating pivots about