External cavity type wavelength-tunable light source
US6018535A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jan 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 21, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/143
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An external cavity type wavelength-tunable light source including an optical amplifier on one end surface of which an antireflection film is coated, a diffraction grating arranged on an emission light axis of the optical amplifier on the side of the antireflection film and having wavelength selectivity, a reflector arranged on a reflection light axis of the diffraction grating, for reflecting a reflection light beam from the diffraction grating, and a wavelength tuning mechanism for tuning a wavelength of an lasing light beam by changing an angle of the reflector relative to the reflection light axis of the diffraction grating. The wavelength tuning mechanism includes a bimorph type piezo-electric element as a wavelength-tunable controlling unit for changing an angle of the reflector relative to the reflection light axis of the diffraction grating, and a wavelength-tunable driving circuit for controlling a voltage applied to the bimorph type piezo-electric element to tune the wavelength of the lasing light beam.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.