Method and apparatus for calibrating a laser wavelength control mechanism
US5450207A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 16, 1993 |
| Grant date | Sep 12, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 16, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J2003/2866
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Calibration of a wavelength adjustment mechanism of a laser is achieved using a hollow cathode absorption lamp. The lamp is provided with a vaporous material having a precisely known wavelength of maximum absorption. A photo-detector detects the amount of light from the laser beam absorbed by the vaporous material as a function of wavelength. The wavelength of the laser is adjusted to achieve maximum absorption such that the actual laser beam wavelength may be compared with an expected, wavelength to determine a calibration offset. The hollow cathode lamp is operated to produce a vaporous material of known absorption characteristic but is illuminated at a level substantially below a level required for conventional opto-galvanic resonance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.