Patent · US Expired

Tunable wavelength light source apparatus for stabilizing power intensity by using external auto-power control

US5754571A · kind A · utility

67Cited by
6References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 22, 1995
Grant dateMay 19, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 22, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F1/21
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

To obtain a predetermined power intensity without influencing the wavelength of output light by external APC, a laser beam having a predetermined plane of polarization and output from a tunable wavelength light source passes through a Faraday element and a polarizer constituting an optical attenuator and is split into a split light beam and an output light beam by a beam splitter. The split light beam is received by a light-receiving device, and a detection signal according to the power intensity is output from the light-receiving device. A controller supplies a signal according to the difference between the detection signal output from the light-receiving device and a set value set at an intensity setting device to a coil of the Faraday element constituting the optical attenuator. The plane of polarization of the laser beam output from the Faraday element is rotated with respect to the plane of polarization of the polarizer, thereby controlling the attenuation amount of the optical attenuator such that the detection signal output from the light-receiving device always equals the set value.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.