System for automatically adjusting the GVD of a Gires-Tournois interferometer
US5173908A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 7, 1991 |
| Grant date | Dec 22, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 7, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/105
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system is described for automatically maintaining the group velocity dispersion (GVD) of a Gires-Tournois interferometer (GTI) as the wavelength of incident light is varied. In the system, the transmission through the GTI is monitored by a photodiode as the wavelength is varied. The transmission through the GTI provides a measure of its GVD. Thus, the output of the photodiode can be used as a control signal for adjusting the GTI in a manner to maintain its GVD at the desired level. The subject system is illustrated in conjunction with a pulsed, tunable, Ti:sapphire laser which is passively mode locked with the optical Kerr effect. The system allows the wavelength of the laser to be tuned over the bandwidth of the gain medium while maintaining a selected level of GVD from the GTI which in turn maintains the desired duration of the pulses. In addition, the GTI is used to compensate for the dispersion effects created by broad band optics in the resonator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.