External cavity tunable laser with an air gap etalon comprising wedges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8929409-B2
Application number	US-74767408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2008
Priority date	Dec 20, 2007
Publication date	Jan 6, 2015
Grant date	Jan 6, 2015

Abstract

A tunable narrow linewidth laser is provided, wherein an adjustable etalon structure is employed to simultaneously tune the wavelength of the laser transmission and the length of the laser cavity. The etalon structure is an effective, relatively thick shear plate comprised of transparent matched wedge-shaped substrates and a pair of parallel, partially transmissive mirrors with a space therebetween. Rotation of the etalon structure relative to the laser input changes the angle of incidence to the first substrate and the etalon angle, thereby changing the wavelength of the laser light and also changing the length of the external laser cavity. Thus, reliable frequency tuning is achieved, without mode hopping.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laser system comprising:
a laser source;
a laser cavity;
an etalon structure for receiving a laser input from said laser source and generating a laser output; and
the etalon structure comprising first and second substrates on which are respectively provided first and second partially transmissive mirrors which are parallel to each other with a space therebetween, wherein
said first substrate has an input surface and said second substrate has…

Assignees

• Copner Nigel
• El Dahdah Nayla
• Renishaw Plc

Inventors

• Copner Nigel
• El Dahdah Nayla

Classifications

• H01S3/1062 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01S3/08036

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02B26/001

  Physics · mapped topic

• H01S5/141

  Electricity · mapped topic