System for generating a stable optical frequency
US4841529A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 9, 1987 |
| Grant date | Jun 20, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 9, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2/002
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for generating a stable optical frequency from a laser signal having inherent frequency fluctuations. The signal from an injection-controlled pulsed laser is divided into two parts. One part is mixed with the signal from a stable CW laser to generate beat frequencies. These signals are amplified and recombined with the pulsed laser signal in an output modulator. In one embodiment, the difference frequency between the pulsed laser and the reference signal is less than 1000 MHz. The beat frequencies are increased by an X-band mixer to the microwave range where they can be readily amplified in an available broad band amplifier. In another embodiment, the transmitter laser and the reference laser operate at a difference frequency in the microwave range, say, above 5,000 MHz. The beat frequencies are obtained by a high frequency mixer such as a bulk crystal in a waveguide or cavity. In still another embodiment, two independent transmitter lasers generate pulses that occur with a significant time delay. These two signals are combined, amplified and mixed to obtain the desired sideband signals. The subsequent corrective modulation eliminates the frequency fluctuations in each pul…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.