Generation of multiple stabilized frequency references using a mode-coupled laser
US5347525A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 19, 1993 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 19, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B10/506
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A technique for generating a large number of stabilized optical frequencies suitable for use in a wide variety of applications, including a multi-channel optical communications system, optical processing, optical computing, and heterodyne generation of stabilized RF frequencies. The technique contemplates stabilizing the cavity of a master laser and using the cavity modes as the carrier frequencies. Preferably, the modes are coupled, as by mode-locking, in order to prevent the modes from competing with each other for the laser gain, which would cause large amplitude variations. Since the cavity is stabilized, all of the cavity modes are stabilized. In one set of embodiments, the master laser is used directly as the laser source, the components at the different mode frequencies are spatially separated (demultiplexed) so that the component at each mode frequency can be individually amplified and modulated (e.g., by electro-optic (EO) modulators). In a second set of embodiments, a set of slave lasers is locked to respective modes. Each of these slave lasers may be individually modulated (e.g., by injection current modulation). The multifrequency source is useful even when the modes ar…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.